WISE is connecting local communities on a global scale

April 21 - 24 will mark the return of WISE, a festival that was birthed by Phillip Grefer in Beijing, 2018 with the idea "to spark cross-sectorial dialogue and connect innovators from the creative community, technology & science to discuss essential questions about how we want and should live in the future."

Now in its fourth year, WISE still operates out of its birthplace in Beijing but also holds European headquarters in Berlin. The 4th edition of the event will introduce new faces and work to innovate the concept of festivals and gatherings, as the New Normal still holds nightlife and entertainment in its claws. As Covid restrictions are different in these spaces, WISE is looking to solve this by presenting different approaches in managing the event.

Bridging the gap between East and West is a central philosophy in WISE's approach to doing things different.

For 2021, the festival is broken into two parts:

1) (Asian) Music Industry and Culture

2) "The Island(s) of New Realities" part II - Art and the Metaverse

Part one takes a look at the shifting of the world's centre to Asia, with a focus on the Chinese Music industry becoming one of the worlds biggest markets. As this trend continues, Grefer believes it is essential to examine the culture that surrounds it.

“After living in Beijing for ten years and seeing the regional industry from the inside for over a decade, it is safe to say that we are now still just seeing the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot more to come. Better be prepared.”

In Europe, this section offers online sessions combining communities from East and West together online to network and trade ideas. Performances will also be streamed live from both Hamburg and Berlin.

Meanwhile out East, the 'WISE by Night' series will continue with a combination of concerts, club nights and networking sessions in Shanghai and Beijing between April 22-24. Performances from the West side artists will be streamed at 'WISE by Night' events and also on leading Chinese platforms.

Part two continues WISE's The Island of New Realities from the 2020 edition. This sees the combination of artists, musicians, tech geniuses and curators combining on April 24, in what WISE describes as "another dimension" and "climate crisis and Covid consistent come together".

For further information on WISE, you can check their website for all the updates here.