Lakes Letter – November 22nd, 2022

Fall Retreat 2022 || Theme Announcement || Calling All Effigy Ideas || Art Grants Are Open || Art Grants on Facebook Live 12/7 || Board Announcements || Dates for Lakes of Fire 2023

Fall Retreat 2022

Recently the volunteers with Great Lakes Experimental Arts converged on their traditional meeting place to kick off the next year’s production cycle. A little fun with fire, a lot of snowfall, and many discussions later have launched us into the next year of planning the Burn. Let’s get to it!

Theme Announcement

A big thank-you to everyone who submitted a theme idea for Lakes of Fire 2023. The community sent in over 40 concepts in the first round of the process, and voted 413 times in the second round. The top 12 ideas from the community went to the org at the GLEA 2022 Fall Retreat for a vote.

We are pleased to announce that your theme for Lakes of Fire 2023 is Garden of Wonder!

Run wild and free with your imaginings, and stay tuned for the rest of this Lakes Letter, as we will immediately call on you to bring those imaginings to life.

Calling All Effigy Ideas

What’s your idea for the Garden of Wonder effigy?!? After all, it must be built before it can be burned.

How do you submit an Effigy idea? Every effigy starts with a sketch. We don’t care what kind of paper you use (do you use paper?), a napkin will do. Have fun with it!

• Have an idea, but not sure how it’ll come together as an effigy? SEND A SKETCH!
• Have an idea and a plan? SEND A SKETCH!
• Have an idea and a build team and loads of experience making amazing burnable art? SEND A SKETCH!

Send your sketch to effigy@lakesoffire.org by Jan 6, 11:59 PM CST to get your idea in the running. Include your name, playa name and a picture of your sketch in the email, and be sure to put “Napkin” in the subject line.

Keep an eye on our Effigy Build Info and Application page – this is where we’ll publish the full application form and some pointers for filling it out. The full application is due January 22nd, 11:59 PM CST.

Go get lost in the beauty of the world outside, bring your favorite stylus, and get sketching. … Or a sharpie and plywood! As you like it.

Art Grants Are Open

The Art Grants team is welcoming your art grant submissions today! The application process in fact opened on November 21st, 2022. For Lakes of Fire 2023, we’ve earmarked up to $35,000 for Art Grants. You have time to submit, but don’t linger: the application window closes on January 6, 2023. Get the application form, example applications, FAQs, and more at the Art Grants page on our website.

Art Grants on Facebook Live 12/7

Did you know? The Art Grant program funds new pieces of art or additions/upgrades to existing art. Because supporting the arts is our core mission at GLEA, it’s important for everyone to know how to apply and get funds to make the work you’re itching to create.
Maybe you’ve wanted to apply for an Art Grant but aren’t sure where to begin. Maybe you think your project is too large or too small to consider. Now you can find out. Join us LIVE on Facebook, as Foxy and TrashPanda hash out the specifics and field your questions. The live event is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7th at 6:00 PM CST. See you there!

Board Announcements

We are excited to tell you about the newest members to the GLEA Board of Directors. Starting in January 2023, our Board will welcome the following wonderful beings (human and otherwise) to the Board of Great Lakes Experimental Arts:

• Jen “Tastic” McCommons (’23, ’24, ’25)
• Jr “Uno” Garza (’23, ’24, ’25)
• Nicholas “Brace” Farr (’23, ’24, ’25)
• Emily Ifverson (’23)
• Robert “Rocket” Kolb (’23)

Come January 1st, they will join Just Ben, LoveWarrior, Moni, and Neha, as we say thank you to Pirate for serving a one-year term over 2022.

About the Expansion of the Board

Going into 2023, the GLEA Board of Directors will grow to nine members. This will be the first year we made the decision to have more than seven. We feel they will contribute to the long-term sustainability of our organization, and to plan ahead for that stability, we have also planned with each Board member the length of their current appointment. Three of the new Board Members have accepted full three-year terms, and two have accepted one-year terms with the invitation to re-apply for a full term at the end of next year. We expect these staggered terms will help the transfer of knowledge and values with this larger team.

Dates for Lakes of Fire 2023

Lakes of Fire 2023 does not have dates yet – that all depends on a series of complex star charts and infernal contracts. We can’t tell you exactly when we’re coming home! But, all the same, I will tell you that Lakes of Fire usually happens on the Father’s Day weekend in June. Don’t call in your time off work yet. We’ll have actual dates for you early in 2023.