Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that the cost of "glamping" is $2,500 for two people.
From Gainesville to a utopian city in the Arizona desert, a group of artists decided to spread their message by founding a new type of music festival.
“We had a desire to do a show somewhere really different,” said Zach Tetreault, a founder of FORM Arcosanti and a member of the band Hundred Waters. “Arcosanti is one of those places that looked interesting to us.”
When Tetreault met Nicole Miglis and Trayer Tryon at UF, a friendship was formed. Hundred Waters was created in 2011 and signed to Skrillex’s record label, OWSLA, in 2012.
This will be the fourth year for FORM.
It was founded in response to Hundred Waters’ experiences performing at music festivals around the world. Located in Arcosanti, Arizona, the festival mirrors the location.
Arcosanti is an experimental town conceived by Italian-American architect Paolo Soleri. It shows how urban conditions can be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the earth. The center of the city is a performance stage, where most of the festival takes place, Tetreault said.
“I was blown away,” said Davis Hart, the operations manager of Gainesville art cooperative Elestial Sound and a co-creator of FORM’s 2016 stage. “Arcosanti kind of swept me off my feet. It’s an incredible place and being there is really inspiring.”
Hart said he believes the space contributes to the atmosphere of the festival.
He cites Soleri’s architecture as inspiration for the stage last year.
“The design is relatively simple,” Hart said. “It’s basically a square with a circle cut-out. Soleri built structures with this simplicity all over Arcosanti.”
Hundred Waters was sick of mass festival culture. FORM offers something truly unique. The vibe is more like an artist retreat than music festival.
“No performances overlap, and that’s really important to us at the festival, because it’s very intimate,” Tetreault said. “Everything’s important. We want every artist to be able to have their voice and be heard.”
Performers trade off between two stages and don’t overlap. This opens people up to artists they would usually opt out of, Tetreault said. There’s no real backstage or barriers between artist and fans, and spontaneous art abounds.
Most of FORM Arcosanti 2017 is already planned.
The festival is designed to take you on an emotional and creative journey, Tetreault said. The festival, taking place from May 12 to May 14, will bring vibrant energy to the Arizona high desert.
Friday night will kick off the festival and is sure to be an energetic start, Tetreault said.
“Saturday morning everyone will be hungover,” Tetreault said. “It’s usually pretty mellow.”
FORM maintains an environmental and ecological message by sponsoring engaging conversations throughout the festival.
Talks on all kinds of environmental issues are set to take place in-between music or art performances, Tetreault said.
There are only 1,500 tickets available for sale, and they’re selling fast, Tetreault said.
FORM also offers 200 free tickets in an attempt to stay connected to its roots.
“FORM was free for everyone in the beginning, but that’s not sustainable,” Tetreault said.
By offering free tickets, the team hopes to open up the conservation and experience to those who wouldn’t be able to afford the $389 ticket price.
There is also a $2,500 “glamping” option for two people for those who don’t want to worry about food or accommodations, although a campsite is included in the normal ticket price.
The festival is invite only, but you can apply online at experienceform.com.
When he graduated UF in 2010, Tetreault didn’t think he would be organizing festivals in the near future.
“What happens after college is more up-in-the-air than you think it will be,” Tetreault said.
