The Gathering 2025 brings Asia & Australia’s music communities together in Thailand

Mixmag Asia teams up once again with EMC for The Gathering 2025, a two-part cultural exchange in Thailand designed to strengthen collaboration between Asia and Australia’s independent and underground music communities.

This year’s edition unfolds in two connected stages, forming a continuous arc from focused creative work to region-wide dialogue. It begins with a five-day Artist Retreat at Karma Studios in Chon Buri, followed by a one-day pop-up Exchange on December 10 in Bangkok.

The retreat brings together 14 invited artists from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Mongolia and Thailand; they are 5cruffs, Closet Yi, Cola Ren, Greybox, Jenli, Kurt Lam, LADY KING, DJ PGZ, Sampology, Sudan, Taiga and Yasmina Sadiki.

Like last year's edition, for five days the artists will collaborate through co-creation, improvisation and shared musical exploration.

Following the retreat, The Gathering continues on 10 December with a one-day pop-up Exchange at Siwilai City Club in Bangkok.

Artists, cultural workers and community leaders from across Asia and Australia will come together for a program built around open conversation rather than panels.

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The first session, facilitated by Mixmag Asia Managing Editor Amira Waworuntu, invites retreat artists to reflect on their week of collaboration, discussing the conditions of their music ecosystems, the shared challenges they encounter and the ideas that surfaced during their time in the studio.

The second session is facilitated by Mixmag Asia Director Arun Ramanathan and EMC Director Jane Slingo, in converation with Jan-Willem van de Ven, Managing Director of ADE, and Meindert Kennis, Music Industry Strategist and former Co-Director of ADE.

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This conversation explores how ADE has evolved over the past three decades, and what elements may translate—or require rethinking—as Asia develops its own industry gatherings and cultural exchange models.

With Wonderfruit marking its tenth anniversary the following day, the session further considers how different community structures and cultural contexts influence the growth of long-term platforms across the region.

Afterwards starting 9pm, join the afterparty at Siwilai Radical Club, in partnership with Shi Fu Miz also, featuring the eclectic sounds of MLCH, Chucheewa, and Mamie's. Tickets here.

Looking to take part in The Gathering Pop-Up Exchange on December 10? Register your interest here.