Staging the Spectacular at Glastonbury Festival



June 28, 2014

As the sun set over Worthy Farm thunderstorms filled the skies and provided a dramatic backcloth to the Glastonbury stage. With nightfall the festival became a playground of light, movement and sound where following the Glastonbury tribes was a rich, powerful, synaesthetic experience. We encountered performances that were epic and spectacular and some that were intimate and up-close, revealing innovative and imaginative work by leading performance designers.

The Spider
The Spider, Arcadia, Glastonbury Festival, 2014, © Kate Bailey

The Pyramid radiated light and video projections connected music with visuals as we discovered a sonic journey through the festival. The world of Arcadia was edgy, progressive, radical and kinetic; the physical and aerial performances pushed boundaries. The scenography of block 9 created immersive theatre and dance where the festival goer was always at the heart of performance.

View of Pyramid Stage
View of Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury Festival, © Glastonbury Festival

We are constantly reminded that Glastonbury is a creative melting pot where ideas are realised and experiments take place; the legacy of which resonates through the performing arts industry- be it the Paralympics Closing Ceremony or through the work of site specific theatre companies. We know many of the festival creators and collaborators have connections to the V&A and we welcome future opportunities to showcase designs and imaginings.

Light sculpture at Silver Hayes
Light sculpture at Silver Hayes, Glastonbury Festival, 2014, © Kate Bailey

In our mission to document, deconstruct and archive Glastonbury 2014 we are working with an artistic team of film makers and sound designers who will help us capture and reconstruct the essence of the festival for an immersive filmic presentation. We are also documenting the stories and memories that bring the archives to life….

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Comments

Hi Kate, I wonder if you’d be interested in my archive of Glastonbury photos going back to 1990? I worked as a freelance for the official website for a number of years and my work has been published and exhibited internationally, as well as receiving a Commonwealth Photographic Award in 2004. Sadly my many thousands of negs, slides and digital images are now ‘at risk’ due to storage uncertainties, so I would really appreciate any advice or assistance in safeguarding their future!

Many thanks,

Stone ;) x

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