MYSTOPIA FOUNDATION

PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCES & RETREATS THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES THE PLANNING AND PRODUCTION OF SHARED PARTICIPATORY EVENTS. THESE EVENTS SERVE ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 2,000 BENEFICIARIES, DEPENDING ON THE FORMAT, AND ARE CONDUCTED TWO TO FOUR TIMES PER YEAR, WITH PLANNED ACTIVITIES OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR. EXPERIENCES INCLUDE: A WEEKEND RETREAT WITH A FOCUS ON DEEPENING CIVIC PARTICIPATION; A WEEK-LONG OUTDOOR TRIP WITH A FOCUS ON BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH SHARED CO-CREATION; A VIRTUAL SESSION ON HOW TO BUILD SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE. THE FOUNDATION'S LARGEST PARTICIPATORY EVENT IS THE PRODUCTION OF BOTH LARGE-SCALE ACTIVITIES & SMALL GROUP COMMUNITIES AT BURNING MAN. STAFFED BY 100-150 VOLUNTEERS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE WITH OTHERS, ACROSS IDENTITIES, IN THE CREATION OF PHYSICAL STRUCTURES, ARTWORKS, PERFORMANCES, LARGE SCALE COMMUNITY- BENEFIT PROJECTS (E.G. PROVIDING FREE FOOD TO THE PUBLIC), AND MORE. CROSS- IDENTITY UNDERSTANDING IS FORMED THROUGH THE PROCESS OF SHARED CREATION, WITH INDIVIDUALS OF MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS WORKING SIDE BY SIDE. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS SHARED EXPERIENCE, TENSIONS ARE ABATED, AND A SENSE OF CAMARADERIE, UNDERSTANDING, AND EMPATHY IS DEVELOPED. IN 2023, ACTIVITIES AGAIN INCLUDED PROVIDING FOOD FOR THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS AT BURNING MAN; THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAFE SPACES BOTH LITERAL AND METAPHORICAL; AND THE PRODUCTION OF QUEER ART & BURLESQUE PERFORMANCES FOCUSED ON INCLUSION.

COMMUNITY DANCE EVENTS. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES THE PLANNING AND PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS. THE EVENTS ARE HELD QUARTERLY AT VENUES ACROSS A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS (SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES), AND HAD SEVERAL THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS IN 2023. THESE EVENTS CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CONNECTION AND THE REDUCTION OF PREJUDICE. BY CREATING A SAFE SPACE WITHIN PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS FOR MARGINALIZED GROUPS TO CONNECT, OUR EVENTS HAVE A NET POSITIVE OUTCOME ON THE LEVELS OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND APPLY DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON PREJUDICIAL BEHAVIORS. PRINCIPLES SUCH AS NOTAFLOF (NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS) ENSURE INCLUSION AND ACCESS.