About Mystopia
A community you build. A home we create. Connections in the dust and beyond.
Mystopia started in 2008 as a scrappy group of friends bringing music, mischief, and frozen treats to the playa. What began as a small Burning Man camp grew into something much more: a platform for creativity, a haven for connection, and a deeply collaborative effort to build spaces where everyone belongs.
In 2014, we formalized our gathering under a 501(c)(7) social club — a necessary step to support the growing scale of our operations. But over time, it became clear that our purpose reached far beyond Burning Man or our formal membership. From our early fundraisers to feeding artists to volunteer days and inclusive dance nights, our work was bringing people together across identities, generations, and life experiences — and it deserved a structure that could support broader impact.
So in 2022, we founded the Mystopia Foundation, a California-based public benefit nonprofit. In 2023, we were granted 501(c)(3) status, allowing us to expand our work in the public interest. Our mission: to reduce prejudice and foster belonging through creativity, shared experience, and joyful community.
Built by All of Us
Mystopia is a labor of love — literally. We have no paid staff. Our camp, events, and programs are all imagined, funded, and built by volunteers who give their time, talent, and resources to co-create something meaningful together.
We welcome people of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences — regardless of what you look like, where you’re from, how old you are, who you love, or what’s in your bank account. If you’re ready to show up with care and curiosity, there’s a place for you here.
Over the years, we’ve learned something profound: when people from different walks of life come together in safe, inclusive spaces — whether on a dance floor, around a shared meal, or building a city in the dust — connection happens. Especially when there’s no paycheck, no prestige, just a shared commitment to make something beautiful. It’s in these moments — constructing interactive art, offering ice cream to strangers, or serving French toast at sunrise — that new bonds are formed, bias melts, and community takes root.
What We Value
While we’re inspired by the Ten Principles of Burning Man, Mystopia’s ethos goes deeper:
- Community & Inclusion – We build spaces where people feel safe, seen, and welcomed. Diversity isn’t a checkbox — it’s our strength.
- Safety & Vulnerability – We protect each other. We honor consent. And we embrace the kind of openness that makes real connection possible.
- Participation & Curiosity – There are no spectators in Mystopia. Whether you’re fixing a generator or throwing on a wig, we believe everyone has something to offer.
- Transparency & Honesty – We deal in realness — in leadership, in feedback, and in how we show up for one another.
- Empathy & Humility – We’re all learning. We give each other space to grow, to fail, and to try again.
Want to Go Deeper?
Learn more about how our programs work — from public arts events to retreats to community partnerships — on our Programs page.