YOUtopia Leads
YOUtopia is completely volunteer-led and volunteer run and joining the Leads Team is a great way to give back to the San Diego Burning Man community, develop new skills, and make a difference at the event you love to attend.
Lead Applications are Open for 2024
Are you the super star we’re looking for? Check out the following Lead Positions. Apply today!
Admin (Assistant to Production Leadership Team)
Provides administrative, contract administration and risk management (insurance) support for the Production Leadership Team of YOUtopia. Coordinates, trains and supervises Department Leads to perform certain specific tasks in order to maintain and manage the flow of information and data.
Art Curation
Everyone is an artist and has a story to tell – the AC team determines the grants needed for YOUtopian artists to bring their vision to life. The gifts of art can be interactive, static, sound, performance, something beautiful or questionable – the job isn’t to judge; it’s simply to help artists fund their vision to share with all of the participants at the event. They work closely with City Planning and SDCAP.
City Planning
Responsible for placing all of the camps and art at the event. While they aren’t responsible for what participants bring, they will let you know where to stick it. Taking everyone’s needs into consideration is important but they are mostly responsible for making sure the “city” makes sense – from sound to bars to food to art – a well-designed city helps create flow and, if done right, should mostly go unnoticed.
Communications
Is the public face of YOUtopia. It is through them that we engage and inform the public of all facets of the event. Social media and newsletters are used to announce developing information to the public while the website acts as a central resource. Additionally, all public facing posts from other YOUtopia departments must be approved by the Communications Department to ensure a consistent theme, tone, language for the event and is checked for consistency across mediums.
Dept. of Mutant Vehicles (DMV)
Qualifies all Art Cars to ensure they can operate safely and effectively on the venue grounds and observe sound regulations and speed/passenger limits.
Dept. of Public Works (DPW)
Responsible for YOUtopia’s infrastructure. This includes designing and implementing the power grid, running heavy equipment, deploying light towers, setting up and taking down shade, fueling, trash hauling, and similar tasks. When possible, they also assist other departments and theme camps with build and strike.
Dispensary
Before the event each department lists all of the physical assets that they need – everything from shade structures to radios to office supplies. Dispensary is responsible for approving, sourcing, transporting, dispensing, collecting, maintaining and storing all of it.
Fire Arts Safety Team (FAST)
FAST ensures the safety of all fire artists participating in consideration of the surrounding land. Prior to the event, FAST is responsible for registering all performers, keeping them up to date on safety codes, and acting as their point of contact. They will also work with City Planning on performance areas. On-site, they will need to inspect and approve all equipment and work with volunteers to ensure there is a sober, attentive adult at every performance.
Gate
Processes the arrival of participants to the event. Works closely with Greeters and Traffic control.
Greeters
Sets a positive mood upon arrival for all participants and are often the first point of contact at the gate entry. They will also help provide a map/directions so everyone can get where they are going quickly and efficiently.
Harm Reduction (Sanctuary/Zendo)
Establishes and maintains a safe place during the event for anyone having a tough time to relax and come down.
Leave No Trace (LNT)
Oversees a diverse set of techniques to make sure we leave the site cleaner than we found it. This includes promoting public awareness, managing public recycling, major cleaning pre-event, moop sweeping post event, and assisting with the moop map.
On-site Sales (Czar of Ice)
Ice is the only thing sold inside the event. On-site Sales manages this, including interfacing with outside vendors, record keeping, cash handling, and delivering the frosty needs of many.
Perimeter
Patrol and observe the exterior perimeter of the event venue to locate and discourage potential trespassers from entering the YOUtopia event. Perimeter will also notify Rangers and Security if unauthorized humans enter the YOUtopia venue. Perimeter also helps locate those YOUtopia participants that may accidentally leave the venue area to ensure their safety.
Please Department
Responsible for making sure the onsite staff and volunteers are ok and taking care of themselves. This is done by utilizing a group of volunteers to bring them drinks and snacks throughout the day and nights of the event.
Rangers
Roam the city providing assistance to YOUtopians in need, be it conflict resolution and peer mediation, helping participants locate medical support, lending an ear or a helping hand, or giving directions to the nearest portos. You will walk the grounds in pairs equipped with radios, ready to offer help when needed. PLEASE NOTE: You must have completed Black Rock City or Pacific Southwest Ranger training in order to volunteer on the YOUtopia Rangers team. Contact the Ranger team for further details at rangers@sdyoutopia.com.
Road Warriors
Oversees the logistics and communication of traffic in and out of the event as well as ensures organized and optimal parking for the event goers. Road Warriors also ensures open lanes for emergency vehicles.
Theme Camp Liaison
Serves as an information conduit for registered theme camps, working with the community and the Placement Department to ensure that everyone remains up to date on the details regarding event and camp guidelines, timelines and assisting with opportunities for possible camp recruiting and fundraising events.
Ticketing
Manages the pre-event ticket purchasing system and on-site ticketing system management.
Volunteer Coordination
Responsible for recruiting, managing, and distributing the volunteers needed to help make YOUtopia a success. Without our volunteers, we would be lost and unable to truly function. This is a time intensive position that will require many hours both pre and during the event.
