In a bold departure from previous years, Shangri-La—Glastonbury Festival’s iconic hub of counterculture and alternative music—is undergoing a complete transformation with the theme of ‚The Wilding.‘
After two years of satirizing consumerism with the ‚Everything Must Go‘ concept, creative director Kaye Dunnings and her team are starting afresh by completely reinventing the festival.
„This is a chance to start over and create something new and exciting,“ explains Kaye. „While ‚Everything Must Go‘ critiqued capitalism, this new era will focus on providing solutions.“
This marks the most significant change in Shangri-La’s 18-year history, with nearly everything being revamped or replaced. The communication strategy has also been reset, with a focus on personal and analog connections rather than social media.
For instance, instead of announcing The Wildings online, hand-crafted packages containing limited-edition risograph posters and sunflower seeds were sent to press and artists as a metaphor for the ‚Wilding‘ theme.
The 100 limited edition Shangri-La Line-up packages were handmade in the South West, with artwork by Rosie Lee Wilson and printed by Josh at 16 Tonne Press. The paper used was 160gsm recycled and acid-free from Arboreta Papers in Bristol.
Moving forward, Shangri-La will share updates exclusively through a new mailing list titled ‚Sign up for joy!‘ to provide a curated and calm way for festival-goers to stay informed away from the online chaos.
This year’s changes are not just a one-time event but a glimpse into a multi-year vision for Shangri-La, with plans to delve deeper into the themes in the coming years.
The new Shangri-La will prioritize discovery and interaction, aiming to recapture the feeling of genuine exploration that technology has diminished. The site has been redesigned to offer multiple paths and choices for visitors, encouraging a deeper engagement with the space.
As the festival takes a break in 2026 to allow the land to recover, the organizers are teasing hints and clues about what to expect in the future. Despite the secrecy, Kaye shares that the redesigned Shangri-La will offer a fresh and immersive experience, reminiscent of the festival’s early days of exploration and discovery. „I want to bring some of that magic back this year.“
This sentiment extends to their marketing approach as well. Instead of relying heavily on social media, Shangri-La is focusing more on newsletters and physical printing. Kaye explains, „I’ve become disenchanted with social media and its divisiveness. When we first joined, it felt like a community. But now, it’s not what we signed up for.“ The festival will still use social media, but starting in 2025, they will prioritize physical connections, like the hand-crafted announcement packages.
Kaye emphasizes the joy of receiving something in the mail that isn’t a bill or an advertisement. She wants to bring that sense of gift-giving to everything Shangri-La does in the field.
In addition to this shift, Shangri-La is introducing four new music stages this year: the Shangri-La Main Stage, Lore, Luna, and Azaadi. Nomad is the only stage from previous years that will remain. These new stages will offer a diverse range of music, ensuring there is something for everyone.
The festival will continue to prioritize South Asian programming with the Azaadi stage, which will be physically larger to accommodate more audience members. Kaye emphasizes the importance of providing a space for South Asian artists at the festival.
Musical highlights at Shangri-La will include Fatboy Slim’s 100th Glastonbury show, a tribute to DJ Randall, and a Joyous People takeover.