Kostume Kult is an arts collective that got its start in the late 90’s with group themes and eventually an annual float at the NYC Halloween Parade. By 2002 the first 7 member Burning Man camp started by giving away hats and sunglasses and, in 2003, had its first costume gifting dome on Esplanade frontage where it has been every year since — now giving away over 2000 pounds of costumes and accessories to all who will agree to wear them and walk the runway with the encouragement of our emcees, DJs and all those waiting in line.
Over the years the camp has grown while developing its year-around activities in NYC, taking the artform of Theme Events to an extreme level with complex, absurdist themes, many forms of interactive art, banging DJs and, because of the participatory nature of our culture, the highest level of guest participation of any costume party crew… perhaps ever. To this day, KK’s annual themed BM fundraisers, including Horned Ball, Black & Light Ball, Freakkshow and others, have developed their own individual followings with unique “sub themes” sparking additional creativity every year.
And through it all, KK has embraced all of Burning Man’s 10 Principles with the addition of ‘Cacophony’ as its 11th principal citing the influence of the San Francisco Cacophony Society and other absurdist arts collectives like Brooklyn’s Madagascar Institute who initially inspired KK’s founder Costume Jim.
Most importantly, Collaboration and Radical Inclusion have always been at the heart of KK helping us stay fresh, creating culture by teaming with many other groups and finding a continual stream of new people at public events like the Halloween Parade, Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Figment, Dance Parade, Santacon, Pride and others.
Spelled with K’s for a purpose, we are not a real ‘cult’ but an open collective that mixes costumes and street theater with artistic fun while bringing many wonderful people together. As we say ‘Costume is a mix of Fashion, Art and Theater and All the world is OUR stage!”… Please join us!