Photos: Inaugural FORMAT festival includes 70 artists and thousands of visitors

The Flaming Lips and Nick Cave’s Soundsuits (Roger Ho)

This past weekend marked the inaugural edition of the FORMAT festival, which organizers said brought together 70 live music acts and contemporary artists with more than 10,000 visitors from around the world.

The three-day event, held on Price Coffee road outside Bentonville, featured musical performances by Phoenix, The War on Drugs, Moses Sumney, Beach House, Khruangbin and many more.

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The festival grounds were highlighted with over 20 site-specific installations from a mostly female group of artists, including Pia Camil, Marinella Senatore and Shoplifter.

Specific works included Camil’s colorful interactive textile installation, Senatore’s 700-foot-long light sculpture, and Shoplifter’s furry forest. Installations in a converted disco barn, hidden forest, and multi-room speakeasy were also dispersed throughout the site.

Highlights included a drone show from Studio DRIFT during Phoenix’s live set, Nick Cave’s Soundsuits ensemble that marched throughout the crowds during several performances, and Shoplifter’s fuzzy, colorful totem poles that were a popular photo destination for festival goers.

The festival was together by Triadic and C3 Presents, which is responsible for events such as Lollapalooza, Voodoo Music + Arts Experience and Austin City Limits. It was presented in partnership with OZ, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary.