Live performances from artists including Rüfüs Du Sol, Phoenix, Khruangbin, Beach House and Herbie Hancock highlight the first FORMAT (For Music + Art + Technology) festival set for Bentonville, Arkansas this fall. The festival is presented in partnership with OZ, which brings outdoor adventure and art to northwest Arkansas, as well as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and the Momentary. It is scheduled for September 23-25 at the Sugar Creek Airstrip in Bentonville.
“With FORMAT in OZ, we’ve tried to capture all the things that make Northwest Arkansas one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic ecosystems in the country—unparalleled access to outdoor recreation, accessible art everywhere you turn, and a culture of innovation as boundless and wild as the Ozark mountains, says Olivia Walton, who is the Crystal Bridges and Momentary Board Chair. “We’re excited that FORMAT will help us introduce this corner of the Heartland to art and music fans from around the world.”
Other performers scheduled for the festival include The War On Drugs, Nile Rodgers & Chic, The Flaming Lips, Jungle, The Marias, Richie Hawtin, Thundercat, Fatboy Slim, Elle King, Digable Planets, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and many more. The festival will also showcase installations and performances from artists including Doug Aitken, Nick Cave, Jacolby Satterwhite, Pia Camil, Marinella Senatore, assume vivid astro focus, Maurizio Cattelan’s Toiletpaper Magazine, John Gerrard in collaboration with Richie Hawtin, Justin Lowe & Jonah Freeman, Sissel Tolaas, Charlap Hyman & Herrero.
Set in 250 acres of forest-enclosed green space, FORMAT promises a “mind-expanding” lineup of music and art installations for those who attend, including “hidden forest enclaves, an open-air pavilion, a converted disco barn, and a multi-room speakeasy.”
“FORMAT represents a new type of festival, placing visual and performing arts on the same plane as live music, creating a fluid and unified experience,” say FORMAT creators Elizabeth Edelman, Mafalda Millies, and Roya Sachs. “Visitors will encounter large-scale installation art and unconventional venues created by a range of internationally recognized artists, alongside an eclectic roster of musical acts. We hope to foster curiosity and discovery, and produce a memorable event on this beautiful, hidden stretch of land in Bentonville.”
Tickets for FORMAT are on sale this week, available to the general public at 12 p.m. central time on Friday, April 22. Those interested can sign up for a presale code for early access on Friday at the event website – format-festival.com. Ticket prices begin at $275 plus fees for a 3-day GA pass, with VIP at $900 plus fees and Platinum at $2,500 plus fees. Prices will increase as “tiers” sell out.
FORMAT Festival Ticket Links
FORMAT Festival tickets at Event Website
