Volunteer Opportunities & Burner Culture at TDF

Where Burner Culture and Regeneration Meet

Most burns last a week. At Traditional Dream Factory, the burn stretches across an entire month, with 31 days of embodied principles, creative exploration, and regenerative living. Step into our month of burner culture and discover our volunteering opportunities in this article.

From October 1st to 31st, the land pulses with intention: the first ten days dedicated to community building and preparing for the upcoming events, followed by the Kosmic Kamels Community Retreat where peace warriors deepen connections, in reaction to the ongoing occupation of Gaza, and culminating in NOOR – The Gathering, a co-created container for introspection, collective healing, and joyful co-creation.

The month closes with the Abela Art Fair, bridging burner creativity with local Portuguese culture through large-scale installations and immersive workshops.

During this month, every day is a chance to live the Ten Principles: radical inclusion, gifting, decommodification, self-reliance, self-expression, communal effort, civic responsibility, leave no trace, participation, and immediacy; making the burn a living, breathing experiment in intentional community, creativity, and ecological stewardship.

The Month of Transformation: NOOR Gathering

October 16–19, 2025, will host NOOR, a co-created gathering facilitated by the Kosmic Kamels. This global collective of artists, activists, and healing justice advocates carries deep roots in the SWANA region and the Jewish diaspora. Their vision is profound: spaces of heart-centered community, cultural exchange, and collective action that foster justice, peace, and freedom for all.

At NOOR, participants will engage in introspection, collective healing, and joyful co-creation. The Gathering is both a container for deep interpersonal connection and a launchpad for new, purpose-driven energy. Through workshops, collaborative projects, and shared rituals, volunteers will experience firsthand how the principles of burner culture can live in a sustained, regenerative context.

Volunteer opportunities at TDF invite you into this flow. Whether you bring your hands to the soil, your skills to construction, your imagination to art or your taste to food, every contribution strengthens both the community and the land.

Volunteer opportunities at the Abela Art Fair: October 25th

The Abela Art Fair brings the creativity of the burner ethos together with the rich artistic culture of Portugal. Artists and volunteers are currently working together to construct large-scale installations, share skills, and co-create immersive experiences. 

Volunteer opportunities here include assisting with art installations, supporting workshops, and helping manage logistics. Each act contributes to a larger tapestry of cultural exchange and regenerative living.

By participating, you are supporting art and living in a community where creativity, ecological stewardship, and the burn culture persists beyond fleeting moments and becomes daily practice.

Burn Culture - Living the Ten Principles

The 10 Principles of burner culture guide life at TDF, and they are embodied in dialogue with the land itself:

• Radical Inclusion: Everyone who arrives is welcomed as a vital participant.
• Gifting: Share skills, ideas, and care freely.
• Decommodification: Experience value beyond currency, building community through contribution.
• Radical Self-Reliance: Develop personal capacity and resilience while living in a supportive network.
• Radical Self-Expression: Contribute your art, creativity, and voice to the collective.
• Communal Effort: Engage in land work, kitchen shifts, and collective projects.
• Civic Responsibility: Care for the land and the broader community.
• Leave No Trace: Practice regenerative living.
• Participation: All members are contributors; there are no spectators.
• Immediacy: Embrace present-moment living, fully engaged with the world around you.

Each volunteer and artist role, from planting trees, the creative work and building installations, to guiding workshops, reflects these principles, integrating personal growth with ecological and cultural responsibility.

Volunteer Opportunities: Become Part of the Flow

TDF invites all who feel the call to join our volunteer opportunities. The community seeks:

Seasoned Burners: Those who have built theme camps or mutant vehicles and crave long-form immersion.

Burn-Curious Explorers: Those eager for a full, embodied initiation into burner culture.

Artists & Builders: Welders, woodworkers, light wizards, sonic shamans, and installation creators.

Community Leads: Sociocracy enthusiasts, permaculture guides, and kitchen captains.

Curious volunteers: Looking for a community to contribute to while benefiting from the wholeness of living and co-creating together.

Your contribution will shape both the events and the enduring life of the land. Tasks range from land stewardship, art installation, and kitchen care to community facilitation and creative workshops. Every effort fosters deeper connection, radical participation, and ecological regeneration.

The Spirit of Co-Creation within our volunteering opportunities

At TDF, the burn culture flows into everyday life. As Dylan, land manager and agroforestry leader, observes, the community is a prototype where burner culture meets land stewardship and wisdom sharing. Hands that dig soil, hearts that craft art, and minds that facilitate dialogue coalesce into a living expression of ecological and social responsibility.

Participation in NOOR, the Abela Art Fair, or daily volunteer work is an opportunity to live these values, to integrate creativity, care, and skill into a shared, regenerative rhythm.

Join Us!

We welcome like-hearted humans who feel called to volunteer opportunities, contribute to art, co-create community, or deepen their understanding of burner culture.

Apply to volunteer in land stewardship, kitchen shifts, art installations, workshops, and facilitation.

Apply to take part in the NOOR Gathering: October 16–19, 2025. Limited to 120 participants.

Participate to take part in the Abela Art Fair: October 25th, 2025.

Join us and discover how creativity, ecology, and community converge. Be present. Share your gifts. Live the burn in harmony with land, art, and people.

What does volunteering at Traditional Dream Factory look like?

Joining one of our volunteering opportunities means immersing yourself in community, creativity, and regenerative living. Contribute four hours a day and gain hands-on experience in gardening, permaculture, building projects, kitchen work, and hospitality, while living alongside like-hearted humans.

Enjoy free accommodation in shared dorms or bring your own tent/van, and share three daily home-cooked vegetarian meals (with vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options).

Volunteering opportunities offer skill development, meaningful connections, and the chance to co-create a vibrant community. Minimum commitment: two weeks, although a month is recommended for full immersion.

Apply now or contact us at space@traditionaldreamfactory.com and step into a month of learning, sharing, and contributing to TDF’s living experiment.

FAQ of volunteer opportunities at TDF:

• Where is Traditional Dream Factory located?

TDF is a regenerative co-living and farm project located in Abela, Alentejo, Portugal, surrounded by natural landscapes and designed for immersive community living.

• What are the basic requirements to volunteer at TDF?

Volunteers commit to 4 hours of work per day, 5 days a week, with a minimum stay of 2 weeks. Programs start on Sundays to ensure smooth onboarding. 

• What does TDF provide for volunteers?

Volunteers receive free accommodation in shared dorms or can bring their own tent or van. They also enjoy three daily home-cooked vegetarian meals, with vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options available.

• What skills or qualifications are beneficial?

While specific skills are not mandatory, experience in gardening, hospitality, kitchen work, building projects, or community facilitation can enhance your contribution.

• What is the community culture like?

TDF fosters a culture of learning, sharing, and co-creation. Volunteers are encouraged to align with the community's values, engage in collaborative efforts, and contribute to the collective experience. 

• How can I apply to volunteer?

To apply, please visit our volunteer opportunities page or send an email to space@traditionaldreamfactory.com to inquire about upcoming start dates and initiate your application process.

We look forward to seeing you!