Keynote speaker: Christopher Breedlove
Director of Civic Activation, Burning Man Project
Topic: The Future of Festivals
Note: keynote will be delivered exclusive to AFIC via livestream
What you’ll learn:
Delegates will come away with an understanding of the model of Burning Man’s event – Black Rock City – including how it has navigated sustainability challenges and based on these learned experiences, how other festivals can continue to be viable into the future.
Burning Man’s ‘Black Rock City’ has been running for 39 years and attracts up to 80,000 attendees annually. Held in the Nevada Desert, the festival is world-renowned for its creative offering and strong approach sustainability.
Specifically, this presentation will cover:
- What makes Burning Man’s business and operational model unique, from its “gift culture” to ‘leave no trace’ policy?
- How the festival has continued to evolve in response to tech advancements in waste management and energy production, as well as how it has responded to recent natural weather events
- What are the opportunities for festivals across the globe in terms of their ability to stay viable and relevant, particularly in the wake of post-pandemic changes to consumer and ticket buying behaviour
Professional bio
Christopher Breedlove is a cultural strategist, educator, and creative producer working at the intersection of community, art, and regenerative systems.
As Director of Civic Activation at Burning Man Project, he leads Burners Without Borders and the Regional Network—supporting mutual aid, civic art, and grassroots resilience around the world. He is a key contributor to Burning Man’s long-term strategy, including the Sustainability Roadmap and Fly Ranch—a living laboratory for regenerative innovation in the high desert of Nevada.
With roots in underground organizing and a background in experiential design, Christopher creates frameworks that help people co-create culture, build adaptive systems, and reimagine how we live together.
