Alternative Culture is Going to Take Over! JUE Opens Tonight

An Edinburgh Fringe in China? Sounds ambitious for a whole lot of reasons, but that’s what Split Work are hoping to do with the JUE Festival, an extended lineup of artists, performances, screenings and exhibitions in Beijing and Shanghai.

JUE – short for ganjue, or “sensation” – kicks off with an opening party at 9pm tonight (Thursday, March 11) at D-22, featuring music by Dead J and a manga-esque art exhibition from Chairman Ca. The festival continues for three weeks across 71 events (up from 25 last year), including a much-anticipated show by St. Vincent this Friday (March 12) at Yugong Yishan (she may also be at the opening party, along with Dead Elvis. Fingers crossed.)

Anthony Tao and Iain Shaw recently caught up with Split Works co-founders Nathaniel Davis and Archie Hamilton, and got the low down on this year’s JUE.

What is JUE, and why is it significant?
ND: It’s modeled on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, a community art and music event where there’re all sorts of venues across the city involved over several weeks in lots of different types of art and music events. For us, it’s very much a grassroots thing, something that we hope to continue to grow year by year with more and more artists involved, more and more venues and galleries, [to build a] groundswell of artistic expression.

AH: The manifesto we set ourselves is to turn March of every year into a true cultural celebration of two great cities – a fiercely independent urban arts and music festival that is a true reflection of the talent that exists in Shanghai and Beijing, and the wider world.

What events are you looking forward to the most?
ND: Honestly, I’m looking forward to just about everything! And I’m not just saying that because I’m the promoter. I think Saturday’s slam poetry/spoken word performance with Benjamin Zephaniah and Steven Connell is going to be fantastic. These guys have come over for the Bookworm’s Literary Festival, and we’ve organized a joint event with them at 2 Kolegas. But that one has basically sold out already.

Can you sum up your expectations for this year’s festival compared to last year, and also relate that to your long-term goals?
ND: I expect and hope that we’ll be able to introduce more people to different sorts of events, and expose people to different things and gain more recognition for JUE, which will help us get more people involved next year.

What challenges do you see lying ahead?
AH: In the very short term, the take up for ‘alternative’ among local audiences is still disappointing. There has been a big spurt recently in local promoters and venues which is great, but for now that means there are more promoters and venues than people. On the positive side, the frequency and quality of the music and shows are increasing almost exponentially, but the audiences are slower to catch up. I suspect this has always been the way. In the long term, however, there will be no problem – alternative culture is going to take over! The avenues for individual expression have come so very far in such a short time. Everyone is aware of their own identity and people are beginning to express themselves across the board. Long may it continue...

JUE Festival Opening Party, featuring guest bands with Dead J on the deck. RMB 30/20 (students). 9pm. D-22.
Full JUE festival schedule for Beijing available here.