Festival from the team behind Shangri-La at Glastonbury, will feature line up of global superstar artists, in support of The Big Issue and Amnesty International UK.
Specialist entertainment consultancy, Sundae Communications, is leading publicity, social media and marketing for new independent virtual reality music and arts festival, Lost Horizon, created by the team behind Shangri-La at Glastonbury in partnership with Sansar and VRJAM.
The ground-breaking festival, taking place on 3rd & 4th July, has been created to support The Big Issue and Amnesty International, and also as an outlet and platform for all the creatives whose season of work has been cancelled.
The result of a whirlwind lockdown development process, Lost Horizon is set to be the world’s largest music and art festival in virtual reality, featuring four stages, (Freedom, Gas Tower, Nomad and SHITV), some of which Shangri-La regulars will recognise, with more than 50 music acts, over than 100 artists, 50 plus films, and an incredible 250 artworks.
With a star-studded line up, featuring Andy C, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, Jamie Jones, Noisia (DJ set), Peggy Gou and Seth Troxler on the Gas Tower stage, programmed by Orca Sound Project, plus A. Skillz, Alabama 3, Coldcut, Frank Turner, My Baby, My Bad Sister and Krafty Kuts on Global Local’s Freedom Stage, the festival is expecting to reach a huge audience across the world.
In addition, Nomad will feature underground acts, whilst SHITV is the festival’s media centre, screening films from the absurd to the enlightened, from the sidelines, frontlines and back-stages of alternative culture.
The whole event is an epic undertaking, condensing years of work into a few months, and Sundae is looking after press, social media and marketing, plus working with partner agency Instruct Studio, who created the Lost Horizon brand and website.
Sundae announced Lost Horizon at the start of June, to a tremendous global reaction, with over 250 outlets across the globe covering the news in 48 hours. There has been huge social impact, generatin nearly 2 million impressions in just over a week.
Sundae MD, Fiona McGarva comments: “This is a once in a lifetime, dream come true project. Lost Horizon is at the forefront of VR for music and art, creating something that has never been considered before, and setting the bar incredibly high.
“I was elated, but not surprised when the team first got in touch with the initial idea, as it is in their make up to push boundaries, whilst always thinking about the greater good before themselves. The most important outcome for us is to raise as much support as we can for both The Big Issue and Amnesty International UK.”
Kaye Dunnings, creative director of Lost Horizon and Shangri-La comments: “Working with Fiona and Sundae is an absolute dream! Dealing with Shangri-La is a pretty overwhelming task – the chaotic nature of how we work and the ridiculous amount of content we have to share is a challenge that Fiona and her team have absolutely risen above. The communication is consistently smooth, the messaging is always so clear between us and the outside world; we feel supported and championed, respected and totally secure in every way.
“Sundae spent a lot of time getting to know us, our ethos, our vibe, how we speak, our tastes, it runs very deep, and this is why they get such incredible results. The way Fiona and co-manage to keep up with constant changes, working between a field in Somerset and now the virtual festival, keeping us in check and on deadline, as well as assisting us with assets and design, also needs mentioning – it’s just incredible. Fiona’s attention to detail is unsurpassed – nothing gets missed, and she is just so wonderful to work with – her humour, kindness, understanding and fierceness blows my mind every day. I bloody love her! ”
Lost Horizon is fully interactive and multi-stage event to explore via PC, VR or mobile app (iOS and Android) and streamed live and direct to wherever you are on the planet via Beatport and Twitch, and via partner and artist Facebook, YouTube and Twitch accounts. The festival is a deep multi-layered experience, filled with wild dance-floors, secret headliners, a visual feast of art and performance, hidden venues and huge artists.
Also featured is a partnership with Manchester cultural organisation Design Manchester whose co-director Malcolm Garrett curating a new virtual reality exhibition, known as Yours Truthfully with Lost Horizon creative director Kaye Dunnings, bringing in globally recognised graphic designers including Paula Scher, Morag Myerscough and Patrick Thomas, all of whom have appeared at DM events. Prints of their virtual work will be available to purchase in aid of The Big Issue and Amnesty UK.
Founded in 2011, Sundae produces high profile press and publicity campaigns for clients in television, film, festivals, venues and events, working with global brands, international broadcasters and independent creative businesses.
Sundae’s recent and ongoing work includes campaigns for Everyman Cinema Group, Manchester’s city-wide creative festival Design Manchester, Channel 5’s Milkshake!, Leopard Pictures, London Short Film Festival and Channel 4.
