Event returns to the heart of the Ozarks this fall
Format has announced its 2023 return including an incredible lineup featuring Alanis Morissette, LCD Soundsystem, Leon Bridges, Modest Mouse, Jamie XX, Tash Sultana, Big Wild, Little Simz, Bob Moses, Poolside, Channel Tres, Paul Cauthen and many more, along with unique performances, installations and art experiences from world-renowned artists including Guerrilla Girls, JR’s Inside Out Project, Jeremy Deller, Ragnar Kjartansson, and Kameelah Janan Rasheed. The otherworldly three-day celebration converging the most influential minds in art, tech and music will take place September 22-24 on the private Sugar Creek Airstrip in Bentonville, AR, in the heart of the Ozarks.
Located on 250 acres of forest-enclosed green land, just six minutes outside of downtown Bentonville, Format will deliver a full-sensory experience. The festival will have two traditional live music stages, as well as several less conventional settings where musicians will perform, including The Cube, Drag Me To The Disco, Next Door | Nova Heat and Smokey’s. Underground discos and stages tucked in the forest will accompany world class installations and artist commissions. In addition, FORMAT will be a haven for exploration, including an expanded Bizarre Bazaar (curated food vendors, retail, experience booths and more), along with experimental soundscapes, light shows, therapeutic workshops, and uniquely integrated technology activations.
This year’s art program features free-standing and large-scale installations, artist-designed music venues, and a rotating video art program inside The Hangar.
Visuals and branding for the 2023 edition of Format are created by San Francisco-based artist and award-winning creative director, Simon Parmeggiani. Under the artist name Neptunian Glitter Ball, Parmeggiani brings to life his uncanny valley storytelling side, building a surreal AI world that seamlessly blends with everyday life, infusing it with fun and unpredictability. Through meticulous engineering and granular attributes, Parmeggiani has achieved an unparalleled level of control over AI- generated outputs, offering a glimpse of what things could look like, in a slightly shifted, glitchy dimension.
Three-Day General Admission, GA+, VIP and Platinum Tickets, as well as Hotel Packages, will go on sale Thursday, April 6th beginning with an SMS Presale at 10 am CT at format-festival.com/tickets. Add more luxury and access to your experience with a premium festival ticket. GA+, a new ticket type in 2023, offers a private retreat with shaded seating and air-conditioned bathrooms. Elevate your festival weekend further with VIP, which includes additional amenities such as dedicated viewing at the two main music stages. Platinum offers the ultimate Format experience with exclusive stage viewing, private lounge, all-day, all-inclusive dining and beverage service, exclusive merchandise gift and more. 1-Day Tickets will also be available for purchase during the SMS presale and public on-sale. More information about each ticket type and amenities included are available at www.format-festival.com. Vibee, Format’s exclusive VIP Hotel Experience partner, will provide packages including festival tickets, a private shuttle, four nights’ stay at the art-centric 21C Museum Hotel, commemorative merchandise, plus a private welcome reception. In addition, Format has expanded its robust shuttle system this year, adding shuttle locations in Fayetteville, Lowell and at the Momentary to provide easy transportation for patrons to and from the festival grounds.
As part of Format’s commitment to the local community, the festival proudly chose Bentonville Public Schools as its charity partner in 2022. In the festival’s inaugural year, Format contributed more than $100,000 to BPS, and we are pleased to announce that they will be the chosen charity recipient again in 2023. In addition, Format is committed to fostering local talent and has created multiple ways for the community to participate in this year’s festival – everything from providing an open call for local artists and musicians to contribute their work, to the annual Entrance Gate competition, a new partnership with the University of Arkansas where students will be able to collaborate with FORMAT, and much more. In addition, local artist Danielle Hatch will transform Format bars into art pieces, as well as present a performance piece during the festival.
Format is presented in official partnership with OZ, which offers a remarkable collision of outdoor adventure and unexpected art encounters, and in collaboration with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville’s unparalleled museum of American art, and its satellite contemporary art space the Momentary. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary will host a series of morning and midday programs from Friday – Sunday which will include tours, events, talks, workshops, and food & beverage offerings for festival attendees. On September 21, the Momentary will host the annual kick-off event for Format.
Format is produced by C3 Presents and Triadic. Additional official partners include the international creative hubs 180 Studios, Istanbul’74, and CACHE (the Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange, which works with creatives, communities, and organizations throughout Northwest Arkansas).
