For / Musicians

Made music nobody is paying you to make? You are who we built this for.

ZAOstock is a one-day outdoor festival in Ellsworth Maine on October 3, 2026. Every artist on stage was discovered through The ZAO, a community of 100+ independent musicians who actually support each other's work.

What you get

If you plug in

→A real stage in front of a real audience. Target 200-400 in person, 1K+ via livestream.
→Recording of your set, photo from the day, included in the recap reel.
→A direct line into the ZAO music community - 100+ people who already care about independent artists.

What we ask

In return

→25-minute set window.
→Standard technical rider - we will work with what you need.
→Show up the day before for soundcheck.
→Help share when we post your slot. We do the heavy lift on socials, you amplify.

How to plug in

Pick a door

Submit your music Email info@thezao.com

Submissions open until roughly one month before the event. Independent and ZAO-vetted only. This is not a pay-to-play festival.