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Recently, Controlled Burn sent a willing member out into the community to discover what it wants from us, and what its current perceptions of Controlled Burn are. We thought it important to lay out here, on our public face, what we learned, invite additional feedback, to let you know that we talked about what we learned, and have made some decisions collectively based on the feedback received. Below you will see a statement/concern, then Controlled Burn’s response:
C: Controlled Burn is “rudderless” and will fall apart without an Executive Director.
CB: At our board meeting last week, the board voted to suspend the office of Executive Director, and each of the managing directors to take a more active, collective portion of the responsibility for the operation of Controlled Burn. This decision will be revisited at the end of the current calendar year, prior to initiating elections for 2010. We are excited to try this new experiment, and hope you will stick with us through what is sure to be an exciting year! We appreciate and thank Howard Chen for taking on the Executive Director role during the last couple of years; he was instrumental in helping with the organizational process that has gotten us here where we are. Controlled Burn is committed to staying a viable educational and public service to our community…bringing fire performance art to the forefront of our community and sharing those skills with anyone willing to take the time to learn them.
C: Retention/Recruitment: Controlled Burn is exclusionary because of the cost involved with requiring insurance and fire marshal’s cards for performing members.
CB: We acknowledge that this is an expense and one that can appear daunting to some. The board voted last week to make a concerted effort to make participation in Controlled Burn “free” except for tool and costuming needs. To this end, we have developed a program where 50% of revenue from Controlled Burn shows will be set aside to reimburse members for fire marshal card and insurance expenses. Initial reimbursement will be $50 upon CB’s receipt of documentation that insurance has been paid for the year (a receipt, insurance certificate, or copies of check and insurance renewal/application). Subsequent payments will be made on a gig-by-gig basis, distributed monthly at members meetings up to the cost of insurance and fire marshal card, currently $227.50. This on-going tally is performer/performance specific. If the member wishes not to take their reimbursement, this will be considered a donation back to Controlled Burn, for which a tax-deductible donation receipt will be provided to the individual.
C: Controlled Burn’s musical choices are not edgy enough, like they used to be.
CB: Last year, Controlled Burn tried an experiment with two separate “themed” shows. Because our “themes” were “The Spans of Time” and “Controlled Burn Cabaret”, the musical choices for last year were not what would be considered “normal” for Controlled Burn. We hope to get back to that driving, jump-in-your-seat music you have come to know and love us for. Stay tuned!
C: Community upset that Shiva Vista did not burn last year. Community upset that they haven’t heard anything so far this year about Shiva Vista.
CB: Controlled Burn applied for an art grant from the Burning Man organization to help fund the final EVOLUTION of the “TOWERS OF SHIVA” this year. We were required to wait until we were given the okay that said funding had been secured before we could begin planning. However, we haven’t been sleeping on the job! Meetings have been held, designs created, and this year THE SHIVA VISTA STAGE WILL BURN!! We are very excited about this, and hope to make this an opportunity for anyone who’s had a meaningful experience on the Shiva Vista to come and say goodbye to it, burn there one more time, then join us to send off Shiva into the ashes to be born again to something new…what, we aren’t sure yet =) The website design has been redone, the information has been updated and continues to be so. Check it out at shivavista.com. Controlled Burn is proud to present this project. Check out the website for more information or to volunteer!
C: Controlled Burn is “rudderless” and will fall apart without an Executive Director.
CB: At our board meeting last week, the board voted to suspend the office of Executive Director, and each of the managing directors to take a more active, collective portion of the responsibility for the operation of Controlled Burn. This decision will be revisited at the end of the current calendar year, prior to initiating elections for 2010. We are excited to try this new experiment, and hope you will stick with us through what is sure to be an exciting year! We appreciate and thank Howard Chen for taking on the Executive Director role during the last couple of years; he was instrumental in helping with the organizational process that has gotten us here where we are. Controlled Burn is committed to staying a viable educational and public service to our community…bringing fire performance art to the forefront of our community and sharing those skills with anyone willing to take the time to learn them.
C: Retention/Recruitment: Controlled Burn is exclusionary because of the cost involved with requiring insurance and fire marshal’s cards for performing members.
CB: We acknowledge that this is an expense and one that can appear daunting to some. The board voted last week to make a concerted effort to make participation in Controlled Burn “free” except for tool and costuming needs. To this end, we have developed a program where 50% of revenue from Controlled Burn shows will be set aside to reimburse members for fire marshal card and insurance expenses. Initial reimbursement will be $50 upon CB’s receipt of documentation that insurance has been paid for the year (a receipt, insurance certificate, or copies of check and insurance renewal/application). Subsequent payments will be made on a gig-by-gig basis, distributed monthly at members meetings up to the cost of insurance and fire marshal card, currently $227.50. This on-going tally is performer/performance specific. If the member wishes not to take their reimbursement, this will be considered a donation back to Controlled Burn, for which a tax-deductible donation receipt will be provided to the individual.
C: Controlled Burn’s musical choices are not edgy enough, like they used to be.
CB: Last year, Controlled Burn tried an experiment with two separate “themed” shows. Because our “themes” were “The Spans of Time” and “Controlled Burn Cabaret”, the musical choices for last year were not what would be considered “normal” for Controlled Burn. We hope to get back to that driving, jump-in-your-seat music you have come to know and love us for. Stay tuned!
C: Community upset that Shiva Vista did not burn last year. Community upset that they haven’t heard anything so far this year about Shiva Vista.
CB: Controlled Burn applied for an art grant from the Burning Man organization to help fund the final EVOLUTION of the “TOWERS OF SHIVA” this year. We were required to wait until we were given the okay that said funding had been secured before we could begin planning. However, we haven’t been sleeping on the job! Meetings have been held, designs created, and this year THE SHIVA VISTA STAGE WILL BURN!! We are very excited about this, and hope to make this an opportunity for anyone who’s had a meaningful experience on the Shiva Vista to come and say goodbye to it, burn there one more time, then join us to send off Shiva into the ashes to be born again to something new…what, we aren’t sure yet =) The website design has been redone, the information has been updated and continues to be so. Check it out at shivavista.com. Controlled Burn is proud to present this project. Check out the website for more information or to volunteer!
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