The National Asian Culture Center Foundation, based in Gwangju, has given its global music event a fresh new look. The ACC World Music Festival has been rebranded as the ACC X Music Festival (ACC XMF), with an expanded vision and a cool new vibe. Mark your calendars for August 29-31, because this is one event you won’t want to miss!
\”Let’s face it, ‘world music’ can sound a bit outdated. It’s like we’re putting non-English music in a box labeled ‘other,’\” says Won Il, the mastermind behind the festival who also leads the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra. \”It was time for a major image overhaul,\” he added during a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday.
So why ‘X’? Think crossroads of culture, no boundaries, and undiscovered musical gems. It’s all about pushing the envelope and celebrating music that defies genres and expectations.
\”We’re on a mission to bring you the cutting edge of music – the kind of sounds that happen when different cultures collide and create something amazing,\” Won explained.
Get ready for a lineup that’ll blow your mind in 2025! From Korea, we’ve got the soulful sounds of singer-songwriters O3ohn and Car the Garden, indie sensations Touched and Danpyunsun and the Moments, the acoustic magic of Animal Divers, and the electronic wizardry of 64ksana. But that’s not all – we’re going global with reggae superstar Kabaka Pyramid from Jamaica, the genre-bending Fran & Flora duo from the UK, Indonesia’s experimental powerhouse Senyawa, the boundary-pushing Nubim Kim Group from the Netherlands, and the mesmerizing gayageum sounds of the DoYeon Kim Quintet from the US.
But here’s where it gets really exciting: ACC XMF 2025 is serving up three international collaboration stages that’ll knock your socks off. We’re talking a mind-blowing Korean-Japanese project featuring Min Young-chi and percussion genius Hidano Shuichi, a jaw-dropping collab between European jazz maestros and Korean samulnori group Newdot, and a UK-Korea musical love child with Hilgeum and Alice Zawadzki.
While we’re still ironing out some details, word on the street is that the festival is expanding its reach to Seoul, thanks to a partnership with the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture. Stay tuned for more info on dates and venues!
\”You’ve got to see the ACC’s performance spaces to believe them,\” gushes Kim Myung-kyu, president of the National Asian Culture Center Foundation. \”The way the music just melds with the surroundings – it’s pure magic. Trust me, you need to experience how the tunes and the space come together. It’s something else!\”
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