The History of the fRee* Festival

Fueled by the unbridled spirit and ideas of the punk and rave scenes that took hold in Winnipeg in the 1990s, the fRee* Festival was born.

The first festival happened on July 15th 2000 at the meeting of the Red & Assiniboine rivers, also known as the Forks. The first festival ended at night when the police arrested numerous festivalgoers. There was a second fRee* festival at the same site, on July 14th, 2001. The second festival ended without any intervention by authorities. There were no more festivals after 2001.

Some of the artists that performed at the two festivals were the Walking Eyes, Duotang, the Quadrafunk crew Seed Organization & Kasm, DMC World Champ DJ Brace, Greg MacPherson, DJ Type One, rappers from the Peanuts & Corn Records family, Oxide, Joe Silva, DJ Cain, MC Dav DubL, RCola and others. Members of the Winnipeg graffiti and art communities along with local breakdancing and percussion crews, contemporary dancers, Fringe actors and freestyle MCs were part of both events. Photos and videos from the festival can be viewed here.

Informed by the writings of Hakim Bey, the pseudonym of Peter Lamborn Wilson and his book "Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism,” the idea was to reclaim the public space for “the purpose of celebration and freedom rather than commerce and development.” Long before the concepts of temporary autonomous zones were subverted in Portland and Capital Hill in Washington, the ideas of TAZ were part of the free party movement in England, the birth of acid house and raves in both Europe and North America. A TAZ was “an ephemeral, transient space that eludes formal structures of control, creating temporary spaces of freedom and autonomy where traditional societal norms and authorities are suspended.”

Key Aspects of TAZ:

1. Temporary Nature: Unlike permanent autonomous zones, TAZs are fleeting and exist only for a short period. They arise, flourish, and dissipate before authorities can suppress them.
2. Autonomy: These zones operate outside the bounds of state control, providing a space for freedom of expression, creativity, and experimentation.
3. Non-Hierarchical Organization: TAZs are characterized by horizontal structures without centralized control or formal leadership.
4. Spontaneity and Surprise: TAZs rely on spontaneity and the element of surprise to evade detection and control by authorities.

Photo by Jon Schledewitz. For more of Jon’s photos from the event, click here.

Relation to the Free Party and Acid House Movement:

The free party and acid house movements of the late 1980s and early 1990s in the UK and other parts of Europe are practical manifestations of the TAZ concept. These movements involved organizing illegal, unregulated rave parties, often in abandoned warehouses, rural fields, or other unexpected locations.

1. Illegal Raves as TAZs: These parties embodied the TAZ ethos by creating temporary spaces where participants could escape conventional societal norms and restrictions. They were organized clandestinely to avoid police detection, with details often shared through word of mouth or secret networks.
2. Autonomous Culture: The free party and acid house scenes promoted a culture of autonomy, self-expression, and community. These gatherings were non-commercial, often free or low-cost, and prioritized inclusivity and collective experience over profit.
3. Resistance to Control: Both the TAZ concept and the rave culture challenged the mainstream societal and legal frameworks. By evading licensing laws and commercial interests, they resisted the commodification of culture and created spaces for alternative ways of living and experiencing music and community.
4. Impact on Society: The acid house movement and the idea of TAZ had significant cultural impacts, influencing music, fashion, and youth culture. They also faced backlash from authorities, leading to stricter laws and policing of unauthorized gatherings (e.g., the UK’s Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994).

The Temporary Autonomous Zone theory provided a philosophical and practical framework for understanding the dynamics and significance of the free party and acid house movements. By creating temporary spaces of freedom and autonomy, these movements sought to reclaim cultural and social spaces from the control of mainstream society, embodying a form of resistance and alternative lifestyle that resonated with many young people during that era.

Poetic Terrorism

Poetic Terrorism is the practice of using art and symbolic action to disrupt the status quo and provoke new ways of thinking. It is a form of cultural resistance that seeks to challenge and subvert dominant narratives and ideologies.

Key Elements of Poetic Terrorism:

1. Symbolic Action: Poetic Terrorism involves acts that are symbolic rather than physically destructive. These acts are designed to shock, inspire, and provoke, using the power of art and creativity to challenge societal norms.
2. Subversion and Disruption: The goal of Poetic Terrorism is to disrupt the everyday patterns of thought and behaviour that uphold the existing order. By creating moments of cognitive dissonance, Poetic Terrorism opens up space for new possibilities and alternative ways of thinking.
3. Aesthetic and Ethical Considerations: Poetic Terrorism operates within an aesthetic framework, where the beauty and impact of the action are as important as its political message. It also adheres to an ethical code that eschews harm to individuals, focusing instead on the symbolic dismantling of oppressive structures.

Interconnections and Implications

Together, these concepts form a radical critique of modernity and its institutions. The TAZ provides a practical framework for creating spaces of autonomy and freedom within a repressive society. Ontological Anarchy offers a philosophical foundation that rejects all imposed structures in favor of a fluid, dynamic mode of existence. Poetic Terrorism adds a cultural and symbolic dimension to this resistance, using art and creativity as tools for subversion and transformation.

Hakim Bey's work challenges us to rethink the nature of power, authority, and resistance. It calls for a revolutionary practice that is as much about creating new forms of life and community as it is about dismantling existing ones. In this sense, it offers a vision of radical freedom that is both deeply personal and profoundly communal, rooted in the belief that true autonomy can only be achieved through collective acts of imagination and will.