Would we like Celtic Burn to become Official Regional Event?

I guess it's difficult to answer the question given it sounds entirely beneficial with this framing, so the answer is an obvious yes with this information.... what are the downsides / implications / investments we'd have to make?

And what are the down sides? This presents only the benefits.

I have a little perspective on this having dealt with Nest's official event process & BM reporting/compliance requirements for the last 2 years. Albeit Nest has been an official event for a while & they're used to us.

I attach the BM official event criteria.

I note some requirements:

*Transparency of finances - financial report must be published on a website annually, made available to the community (also sent to BM within certain time);

*After-burn (event-wrap-up report) must also be published on-line & available to the community(also sent to BM within certain time);

*Online Afterburn form needs to be submitted to BM - a range of questions on the event, no of volunteer hours, ticket info, etc . This is different to the public report noted above

*Event needs to be officialised each year - relatively minor paperwork pre-event, though a new event will get more focus;

*Compliance with all local licences & regulations - this'd mean needing a drink licence & probably event licence (which we looked into & would be required if we moved to Knockengorach next year anyway).

* Nominated person to handle liaison with BM;

* Appropriate insurance - we have this, just noting that the requirement to note BM is waived for UK burns;

I think the downside is degree of additional paperwork, particularly around the finances. For a Ltd company these should be getting done legally & officially anyway though, so maybe it's not a change.

To be fair the reporting requirements and paperwork isn't that onerous, it just requires a bit of planning in recording info & a dedicated person to write it up & do things on time.

I would note for official burns there is the potential for some challenges around different interpretations of the 10 principles, particularly for a new official burn. Nest (& the regional contact) had to do a lot of negotiating and persuading a few years back to retain our official event status. This was due to BM taking exception to the fact we use skips to collect recycling & rubbish - which we don't like but it's a non-negotiable condition imposed by the local council.

The ltd entity 'Northern Regional Ltd' which officially & legally puts on celtic burn was intended originally to put on other burns in Scotland, hence the name. If we became an official regional it wouldn't be able to do that (using money generated by celtic burn) unless they were also official regionals.

I would make the point that many of the benefits Kev lists are news to me, and aren't utilised by Nest. I don't think they ever have been (certainly not since I've been involved in org side).

Specifically -

Access to an online Resource Library of tools and templates, including the Community Event Production Toolkit, etc.;

Your event’s image/logo can be posted on the Burning Man website on the scrolling part of the Global Network of official regional events.

Help connecting with a peer support network of official regional event organizers.

Invitation to apply for the Regional Event Lead Mentorship Program in Black Rock City

Connection with subject area experts from across the world

At Nest we don't really use 'Support from the Official Events Team', never needed it. Occasionally we'll ask questions of the regional rep, but that's as far as it goes.

As far as online resources & peer support we recently connected to a mailing list, but that's outside of BM setup by a guy from the Florida burn. We've never needed anything official re peer support, or seen it offered. Maybe because the issues involved in running a burn in UK are different from those in the USA & elsewhere, legally.

I note Kev's listed a few points twice: Jackrabbit newsletter, peer support, subject matter experts.

Think this is a great idea Kev. I think notably for a move next year to a site with no infrastructure and the potential to burn something larger, it would be really helpful.

Grateful as I am for the originators of our beloved 10 principles, I must admit that I'm not thrilled about hitching any of my pretty little European wagons to the Yankee Borg across the pond...

Is there anyone who has already expressed willingness to take on the extra paperwork involved?

Also - speaking from the perspective of an organizer struggling to find volunteers for much more critical tasks at CB - at this time I would encourage a focus on building ourselves up internally & establishing CB as a stable burn first.