Celebrating Fashion x Film x Music + Art + Technology! Learn more about North America’s first-ever fashion and art biennial, the 9th annual Bentonville Film Festival, and the second edition of FORMAT Festival!
June 2023
ASSEMBLY
This June, INTERFORM will present ASSEMBLY, the first fashion and art biennial in North America. ASSEMBLY will showcase over 60 regional artists and designers in more than 10 exhibitions and additional retail pop-ups across Northwest Arkansas. Within the framework of the biennial, events and celebrations commemorating Juneteenth and LGBTQ+Pride will take place alongside INTERFORM’s largest fundraiser, Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week. NWAFW will be held June 8-10th once again at the Momentary in Bentonville. Local and regional fashion designers will be showcased alongside exhibitions from award-winning New York-based artist, Firelei Báez and multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist, Yvette Mayorga for three evenings of shows as well as an installation from world-renowned textile artist, Rachel Hayes debuting at the Momentary Quonset Hut.
The ASSEMBLY opening ceremony will take place at The Momentary on June 1!
June 13-18, 2023
Bentonville Film Festival
June will also host the ultimate celebration of diversity in film! The 9th annual Bentonville Film Festival, founded by award-winning actress and gender equity advocate Geena Davis, returns June 13-18, 2023, showcasing underrepresented storytellers from around the world. For the first time ever, the festival will feature short film categories in Animation and Adventure, in addition to Narrative, Documentary, and Episodic titles.
Immerse yourself in a rich cultural experience, as 2023’s festival promises a lineup championing women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, older persons (50+), and large-bodied individuals. Last year, the festival achieved an impressive 82% female or gender non-conforming, 65% BIPOC, and 62% LGBTQIA+ representation from content creators who participated in its competition program.
Don’t miss the opportunity to attend Q&As, panels, and exclusive events delving into industry norms and the importance of independent artists. Can’t make it in person? Enjoy on-demand streaming available through June 25th. Mark your calendars, and get ready for a must-experience film festival!
September 22-24, 2023
FORMAT Festival
Last, but not least, the second annual FORMAT Festival is taking place in the heart of the Ozarks from September 22-24! This year’s incredible lineup includes headliners Alanis Morissette, LCD Soundsystem, and Leon Bridges, along with Modest Mouse, Jamie XX, Tash Sultana, and many more incredible acts.
The festival will also feature unique performances and art installations by internationally-acclaimed artists like Guerrilla Girls, JR’s Inside Out Project, Jeremy Deller, Ragnar Kjartansson, and Kameelah Janan Rasheed.
FORMAT unfolds on a vast 250-acre green expanse, a stone’s throw from Bentonville’s downtown, featuring two traditional music stages and an array of unconventional performance spaces like The Cube, Drag Me to the Disco, Next Door/Nova Heat, and Smokey’s. Nestled among the art installations, the festival will also host underground discos and stages within the encompassing forest. Grab your tickets and prepare for an unforgettable Fall weekend.
