Episode 15: IBAG NSW Burns Community Survey (Peter & Rowan)

This episode explores the Independent Burning Advisory Group (IBAG) and the NSW Burns Community Survey. The conversation covers the background, methodology, findings, and implications of the survey, as well as related community insights. Hosts discuss how the survey was created to understand the needs and challenges of the local burner community after the Burning Seed event was cancelled. Key findings reveal an aging, neurodiverse, and highly committed community, but one at risk of burnout. The survey identified five main community personas and highlighted a desire for future events to be accessible, inclusive, and community-focused. Challenges include event timing, site selection, and balancing volunteer and paid roles. The episode ends on an optimistic note, with hopes for a large, inclusive event and continued community engagement.

Host: Stevan ‘Silent Disco’ Lay

Guests: Peter Simpson-Young & Rowan Kos

Produced by PY Wong & Stevan Lay

iBAG - 2025 NSW Burns Community Survey

USEFUL Links:

IBAG NSW Burns Community Survey results: https://independentburneranalyticsgroup.github.io/NSWBurnsCommunitySurvey/

Download the PDF version: HERE

SBA Townhall Meet (27 July, 2025): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xWIX78z4iU

Sunburnt Arts: https://sunburntarts.org.au/

Burning Seed: https://www.burningseed.com/

The Third Degree: https://the3rddegree.org/

Blazing Swan: https://blazingswan.com.au/

Underland: https://underland.au/

Kiwiburn: https://kiwiburn.org/

Afrikaburn: https://www.afrikaburn.org/

Burning Man Survey: https://burningman.org/about/history/brc-history/event-archives/2025-event-archive/black-rock-city-2025-surveys/

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Intro

[00:00:43] Background to iBAG survey

[00:07:21] iBAG team

[00:09:17] Methodologies and limitations

[00:17:50] Burner voice messages

[00:18:54] Survey findings

[00:29:33] Community motivations and personas

[00:33:19] Preferences on site and location

[00:37:06] Preferences on dates and seasons

[00:42:11] Importance of a burn

[00:48:19] Accessibility needs

[00:50:36] Burner voice message

[00:50:59] Rowan origin story

[00:55:22] Theme camp interviews

[01:06:57] Searching for sites

[01:14:46] Paying crew

[01:22:45] Ticket pricing

[01:25:41] SBA leadership

[01:27:58] Looking ahead

[01:35:45] Shoutouts

The information presented in the following audio program is for informational, educational, entertainment, and archival purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on the Bonzaar Podcast are solely those of the hosts and the guests and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the entire burner community. Bonzaar Podcast is an independently-produced, volunteer-led, and community-funded project and is not associated or affiliated with the burning man organisation or it's world-wide subsidiaries.

This episode was recorded on 1 September, 2025