The Borderland – Vad är The Borderland? Introduktion för allmänheten

*Front/about content of the Borderland community platform (Loomio), main group "The Borderland". Last updated by ALS 2026/05/22.*

Intro (What is the Borderland?)

The Borderland is Sweden's largest participatory gathering, a community built on the premise that the participants themselves create the content. The Borderland is a "borderland" between dream and reality, a place where you explore what you dream of doing, dream of creating, or who you dream of being.

We base our organisation on the 10 Principles of Burning Man (+ an 11th: consent). These principles guide our community to create a temporary city based on radical self-expression, communal effort, and immediacy. From its start in 2011 with only 46 participants, the Borderland now welcomes over 5,000 participants annually.

More than just an event; it's a self-organized gathering, created entirely by its participants - a community of creators, dreamers, and builders - using decentralized tools. The Borderland is named for the liminal space it inhabits - between imagination and reality, its only boundaries are those set by your creativity.

Who makes Borderland happen? You do.

There is no central production team - only participants actively shaping the experience. There are no stages, no vendors, and no spectators. You don't buy a ticket, you are joining as a co-creator.

The Borderland is organized by Gränslandet Ideell Förening, a Swedish nonprofit where every participant is an equal member. Our governance is open and democratic with annual meetings to decentralized teams.

No role is more valuable than another. Whether you're creating a massive art installation or helping clean up MOOP, your participation matters equally. Everyone gets the same chance to join, with no exceptions.

We organize ourselves using a mix of tools in a decentralized manner which allows for anyone to see what needs doing and step up where it's needed. You don't need permission, just initiative (we call this do-ocracy).

Borderland is a blank canvas. There's no pre-set program - the event becomes what we collectively dream up and build. Whether it's a massive art piece or a cozy tea tent, a roving performance or a quiet chill space, what you bring helps shape the world we'll share.

What Makes The Borderland Different?

Decentralization and Radical do-ocracy — Borderland operates without a central committee, relying on self-organizing "realities" (working groups) to take responsibility for different aspects of the event. Power comes from action, not titles - if you want to make something happen, step up and do it (in dialogue with the community of course).

Dream Grant Funding — Approximately 50% of membership fees go directly towards supporting art, projects, and participant-driven experiences, empowering the community to bring their creative visions to life. Because no one is on payroll, we have more money to give back to the community!

We own the land — The site is collectively owned by the Borderland community. That means long-term care, ecological regeneration, and an experimental home for leave a better trace.

Power grid — Unlike most burns, we have an on-site electrical grid. Camps and art can plug in directly, reducing the need for generators, noise, and fuel transport.

On-Site Potable water — The Borderland has a well which provides drinkable water, safe for cooking, cleaning, and hydration for the entire event.

About Alversjö

The Borderland's home is a magical forest in Alversjö. We have 100 hectares of land (~250 acres) with 4 lakes - half of which is a nature reserve! The land is owned by Alversjö Natur AB, a community-driven project to create a permanent space for art and nature. Purchased in 2023 with member donations and loans, the land hosts year-round events.

Getting There

It is very easy to reach by car or public transport!

Nearest Airports (driving time to BL): CPH – Copenhagen Airport (3.5h); GOT – Göteborg Landvetter (3h); ARN – Stockholm Arlanda (3.5h)

Nearest Train Stations: Eksjö (10 min drive); Nässjö (30 min drive)

Nearest Bus Stop: Eksjö Allmänningen, 1.9 km from the Borderland (3 min drive/25 min walk).

When will Borderland take place?

The dates for the next 5 years have been scheduled, it is always Week 30:

• 2025: July 21-27

• 2026: July 20-26

• 2027: July 26 - Aug 1

• 2028: July 24-30

• 2029: July 23-29

Can non-members visit? Yes! The public is welcome for a guided art walk (sign-up required). Otherwise, the event is open only to members.

Language: The operational language of The Borderland is English. This follows the principle of Radical Inclusion and reflects the international makeup of our participants.

Lingo

Principles & Philosophy

• 10+1 Principles: the Borderland is guided by Burning Man's 10 Principles plus an essential 11th: consent

• Do-ocracy: Leadership through action. See a need? Don't complain - do it!

• Decentralization: No central production team. Community-driven roles (called realities) keep the Borderland running.

• Participatory event: No spectators, only collaborators.

• Membership: Not a ticket - you're co-creating, not attending.

• Gifting: No money or bartering at the Borderland. Give freely - no strings attached.

Making it Happen

• Build: Pre-event days when infrastructure (power, toilets, etc.) is set up. Everyone is welcome to help!

• Strike: Removing everything post-event. Yes, everything.

• Realities: The roles that keep Borderland running (water, toilets, power, etc.). Anyone can join!

• Helm: sober designated head of operations during the Borderland

• Clown Police: Friendly, sober Borderlings who roam Alversjö offering a listening ear and a helping hand - not rangers, not pros, just proactive participants.

• The Sanctuary: Medical/psychological care

• The Threshold: Gate

• Decompression (Decomp): post-burn gathering to process and integrate the experience.

Creative Culture

• Dreams: Workshops, art, and events created by participants. Also the funding platform.

• Fund 33: 33% of dream grant money earmarked for large/ambitious/or permanent-ish art

• JOMO guide (Joy of Missing Out): Booklet of the week's events.

• Main Stage: HA got you! There isn't one - this isn't a festival.

• BYOC: Bring your own cup, so people can gift you delicious drinks!

• Virgin: First timer at a burn

• Sparkle pony: Someone who shows up, shines, and disappears without contributing. Don't be that pony.

Leave it Better

• LNT (Leave No Trace): After Borderland, no one should be able to tell we were there. Take everything you brought (including trash) back with you.

• LBT (Leave a Better Trace): We now have our own land - so we can build things that last. Some art and infrastructure may stay for future use. Let's leave it better than we found it.

• MOOP (Matter Out of Place): Anything that doesn't belong - trash, glitter, cigarette butts or rogue tent pegs. If you drop it, pick it up.

Dreams (4.5M SEK)

Fund 33

33% of the dreams budget is earmarked for big/ambitious/OR permanent-ish art. 2026 pot: 1.82 M SEK. Key dates: platform opens November 15 2025; Letter of Intent December 15; application deadline January 7 2026; community feedback January 7-21; committee deliberation January 22-February 11; grant approval and announcement February 11.

Dreams 2026

The dreams platform aka Cobudget. 2026 pot: 3.69 M SEK. Dreams use an all-or-nothing funding model, meaning projects that don't reach their minimum funding goal are not guaranteed to receive any funding. Funding rounds run from April 23 through May 7, with committee redistribution of remaining funds ("F.R.E.U.D algorithm evaluations") May 7-14, and reimbursement rounds through mid-September.

2026 Memberships (not Tickets)

This year: a two-phase membership sale; the lottery is taking a two-year break.

Phase 1: Fall Membership — non-transferrable, non-refundable; available 17 Nov 17:00 CET → 23 Nov 23:59 CET; 4,379 memberships available (number of attendees last year); low income tier only available to anyone who had one last year.

Phase 2: Spring Membership — opens 10 March 17:00 CET; transferable and refundable within a deadline.

Prices: Higher priced: 3,000 SEK; Baseline: 2,222 SEK; Low income: 1,234 SEK.

Transfers: happen at members.theborderland.se. Soft transfer deadline June 22, 2026 (full refund); after that a transfer refunds 50% to the seller. Hard transfer deadline July 13, 2026. Questions: tech@theborderland.se.

Where does my membership fee go?

Your membership fee brings Borderland to life. In 2025, about half of our ~9M SEK budget directly funds the art you experience through Dream Grants (more than any other burn!), while the rest covers everything needed to create our temporary city - from toilets to safety teams.

Every contribution, whether it's creating art, coordinating volunteers, or maintaining our infrastructure, comes from people freely giving their time and passion. No one receives financial compensation, and no money changes hands during the event itself. We exist through gifting and collective effort, with every krona going back into creating this experience together.

Kids under 14 join for free, but they still need to be registered. 14 and older need their own membership.

Links & Resources

Featured link: Burning Man Live podcast episode "The Borderland Trust Creates Worlds" (burningman.org).

Signups: Helm (sober head of Borderland ops); realities signups via the membership platform ("Reality Shifts" tab), including Clown Police, Threshold (gate), B.O.W.E.L.S (toilet team), The Sanctuary (first aid and emotional support), JOMO Guide, DoET (Department of Energy & Transport), The Port (greeters), Consent, LNT, Sound.

Community Hubs: Discord (The Borderland Discord, Alversjö Discord) for coordination; Talk Forum (Loomio) for bigger decisions — Borderland Talk and Alversjö co-creators Talk; Facebook groups (yearly groups, The Borderland group, the Borderland Facebook page, "Rage and Whinery").

Other resources: Borderland Newsletter, Placement Map, Survival Guide, conflict-resolution and consent channels, rideshares, Lost and Found, Sound Guide, packing lists, pet guidelines, camp matchmaking.

Who speaks for The Borderland?

The Borderland isn't run by a central team or press office - it's co-created by participants, for each other. There's no one person who can speak for the event, because everyone shapes what it is by contributing their own gifts. There is a board for legal and logistical reasons, but they avoid making top-down decisions and instead push questions back to the community - including you.

If you have a question, ask on The Borderland Discord. And if it really needs an official answer (like permits or government stuff), you can message the board privately.

Press inquiries: info@theborderland.se