Boomtown proves that ambition, escapism and conscience can share the same dancefloor

Over the past fifteen years, the Matterly Estate in South Downs has undergone an annual transformation. Every summer, for one week only, the family-owned farm and natural amphitheatre become a home for the residents of Boomtown — a fictional cityscape first established in 2009. When Chris Rutherford and Luke Mitchell initially launched Boomtown, it was on a much smaller scale. With backgrounds in free party movements, underground scenes, and a general love for world-building, the pair recognised a glaring issue with mainstream festival spaces before Boomtown’s inception; there were few opportunities for alternative genres and artistic countercultures to thrive. Taking matters into their own hands, Rutherford and Mitchell went on to create an experience that not only offers a platform for underground music, art, and theatre, but also fosters an immersive environment held by core values of creativity, connection, celebration, as well as respect for yourself, others, and the planet. The inaugural chapter, Boomtown Begins, took place over three days at The Speech House Hotel in Gloucestershire. As the legend goes, an explorer called Nickolas Boom discovered gold in the hills. Eventuall...