Jemma Rose Brown, General Manager, The Signal Awards: What is something unmissable happening this year at On Air Fest?

Scott Newman, Founder, On Air Fest: On Air Fest is not about one thing, it’s about the ensemble. It’s about the diversity of views and people and ideas happening in the space. It’s about live music and live poetry and talks and panels and intimate conversations, but also visual art and interactive exhibitions.  Everything is unmissable. For me, I feel like we’ve tried to lay out the programming in a way that people can really find time to get inspired, to get provoked, to get challenged.

Ray Marrero, Creative Director, On Air Fest: When we talk about something unmissable, it’s absolutely important to go to the ‘On Being’ live taping with Krista Tippett and Bon Iver. Personally, his albums have always touched my heart. That and the KCRW lounge. We started On Air Fest from the idea of a streaming radio lounge, so this is like going back to our roots. It’s called KCRWWW and it’ll be outfitted kinda y2k style with a nostalgic vibe and live DJs all day.

Jemma: How are you evolving the curatorial vision for On Air Fest this year?

Scott: Our goal is always to reflect the moment. The logo for On Air Fest comes from an ‘ON AIR’ light box. When the light goes on, we’re live. And so at the scale of a festival, On Air Fest is a reflection of what is happening this February in this industry. The programming reflects that, challenges that, elevates that, amplifies that.  That’s really been the approach for a number of years and we’re getting better at it.

On Air Fest's Scott Newman (L) and Ray Marrero (R)

Jemma: The visual design of On Air Fest is such a big part of its identity. How has the curatorial thinking for this year bled into the art direction and experiential design of the festival?

Ray: It’s thoroughly modern. We made a concerted effort to recognize the trends that are changing and shifting in the media. So video has been very much in the DNA for this year. We’ve been using a lot of video loops to harken back to what’s happening now with video and podcasting.

Jemma:  Full transparency to our readers. I used to work with you guys at the festival, but I’m excited to attend this year as a guest. There is so much happening across multiple venues this year. Any tips for how to focus or curate one’s experience as an attendee?

Scott:  At Wythe, we have a whole hotel takeover including the main hall, cinema, lounge and seventh floor suites. We have three activations. We’re doing a room with NASA, a creator pitch room with ESPN 30 for 30 and the Acast Video Penthouse.

Go to all the rooms in the hotel, find one or two things that you like in every one of those rooms, and also go to the Creator Hall because there’s all-day programming there. It’s a 15,000 square foot gallery space that we’re transforming into a magical place of sound and story.

Once you find your moment, settle in and be present because there’s going to be next level programming in every space all day long, and you probably will not get to everything that you want to get to. Pick the things you want to see and then break your plans. Make wherever you are your On Air Fest experience.

Jemma: That’s a bumper sticker.

Scott: For big names, you have Anderson Cooper who’s going to be with Audio Vanguard Award Winner Audie Cornish to talk about his beautiful project, ‘All There Is.’ We have legendary music producer and sound artist Daniel Lanois, the creator of so many soundtracks for so many lives in conversation as part of Broken Record Live. There are something like 30 live podcasts that are happening between our performance venues. In the Creator Hall we have Taylor Lorenz, Kareem Rahma from ‘SubwayTakes,’ Emily Sundberg. Those are some of the things I’m excited about.

Jemma: Okay last question. You call On Air Fest the premier sound and storytelling festival. Obviously the word ‘podcast’ is a notable omission in that headline. I’m curious what not using the word ‘podcast’ unlocks in terms of the curatorial perspective or audience experience.

Ray: I like the idea of expanding the concept of what a podcast can be and offering different routes that you can take as a creator.  I think it’s really important to be able to dissect what it means to be an audio artist and audio creator.

Scott: Ray made a deck for the vision for On Air Fest I would say just about 9 years ago, and it said, “don’t just make a podcast, start a movement.” From the beginning, we have always said audio is an entry point. Is SubwayTakes a podcast? You know, a two minute social video series? To some people it is. Whether it is or it isn’t technically, to us, it’s more about the spirit of an original idea from a creator or an artist or a storyteller that is changing hearts and minds and inspiring people. That’s why we were born and that’s why we exist now.

Scott Newman is the Founder and Director of On Air Fest. Ray Marrero is the festival’s Creative Director.

Explore On Air Fest’s full schedule here.

On Air Fest 2025 headliners. Full line up: onairfest.com/2025-lineup