06/20/2025

[WATCH] DJ Mag Explores Arcadia’s Newest Dragonfly Stage Made With An Old Army Helicopter

Arcadia, the renowned performance art collective, has a long history of transforming industrial and military scrap into awe-inspiring stages for Glastonbury Festival. In 2024, they debuted their latest creation, The Dragonfly, a colossal mechanical dragonfly crafted from a repurposed Royal Navy Sea King helicopter. The Dragonfly stage, which replaced Arcadia’s iconic Spider stage at Glastonbury, captivated audiences with its innovative blend of technology, art, and historical significance, pushing the boundaries of festival experiences and making a powerful statement on transforming tools of war into beacons of art and unity. DJ Mag spoke with the founders, Bert Cole and Pip Rush, ahead of the event last year to find out how they planned the stage. The video follows their brilliant journey from idea to creation, all the way to Glastonbury. It showcases how the amazing Arcadia crew pulled it off.

Finding the Scrap

Firstly, Arcadia’s creative process often begins with finding interesting pieces of disused machinery. They received a tip about a decommissioned military helicopter for sale at an air base in Cornwall. Secondly, the helicopter reportedly crashed on its final flight, offering a powerful starting point for their vision. Once they acquired the helicopter, the idea of transforming it into a dragonfly began to take shape. Then, the team meticulously studied the angles of natural dragonflies, their legs, how they sit, and the size of their heads and eyes, allowing nature to steer the design process. This blend of industrial scrap and organic forms is a signature of Arcadia’s work.

Engineering and Construction

The main body of the stage is the adapted ex-military helicopter. To bring the dragonfly to life, they incorporated:

Digger arms for legs: Giving the massive structure a dynamic, insect-like appearance.
Lasers for wings: 22 high-powered lasers stretch far into the horizon, creating a stunning visual spectacle.
Transparent LED screens: The swiveling head, aka the DJ booth, is covered in hexagonal LED panels that change colors to mimic iridescent insect eyes.
Projection Mapping: Brings the entire body to life with vibrant visuals, textures, and animated sequences.
Powerful Sound System: A custom system collaborated with AF Live, with microphones and monitoring systems to ensure sound across the field.
Flame Effects: Jets of fire streaking in the sky for the signature Arcadia ambiance, but using bio-ethanol to align with their sustainability goals.