The China Now Music Festival is an annual series of events produced by the Bard College US-China Music Institute, in partnership with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. A major platform for contemporary Chinese classical music in the US, the festival acts as a bridge between cultures amidst the ever-changing landscape of global politics.

With this project, China Now’s goal was to bring Chinese music to life for new audiences, showcasing the extraordinary depth of the country’s musical tradition and the innovation of its musicians. The ensuing visual identity, titled “Musical Characters of China”, uses calligraphy to visualise the expressiveness of Chinese music. Words like 乐 ("music"), 连 (“link”), 聚 (“together”), and 动 (“movement”) emerge from the performers, making each word an integral part of the performance.