Call for Proposals: Bethel Woods Art & Architecture Festival (BuildFest) 2026

BuildFest 2026: Acts of Construction – Act One: Staging invites proposals for timber pavilions and multimedia activations to be installed on the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival. 

Act One (2026) examines the overlapping meanings of “staging.” In theater, staging refers to the arrangement and presentation of a play, show, or other production; in construction, staging refers to the assembly of temporary infrastructure (scaffolding, platforms, and supports) in anticipation of building. Proposals should consider how construction can be intentionally organized to accommodate unknown future uses and/or the planned disassembly and reuse of component parts in subsequent structures. 

Accepted proposals will prioritize adaptability—the capacity of art and architecture to serve as the foundation, catalyst, and literal “stage” for future activations and evolving uses.

Proposals fall into three typological scales: 

Installations New construction projects utilizing primarily timber (e.g., gateways, shade pavilions, stages). 

Activations Multimedia experiences (e.g., theater, light shows, choreography, performance).

Interventions: The adaptation or re-purposing of existing installations.

Awards: Between $1,000 and $4,000 available per project, accepting up to 12 proposals.

Deliverables:

Project statement (max 250 words)

Conceptual imagery (drawings, models, diagrams, renderings)

One “hero” image (3000 px on short edge)

Off-site construction timeline and on-site installation schedule

Draft budget (including any existing monetary or in-kind support)

Bios of the faculty team

Links to past projects/research

Submission Format: Single PDF (max 20MB) to [email protected] with the subject line “Staging”

Submission Deadline: March 30

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Website: https://buildingfestival.com