The Beat Goes On – Beat Hotel Ibiza 2023

If the spirit of Ibiza were notated, perhaps it would resemble a staccato jazz piece peppered with pops of sound, unexpected pauses and invigorating rhythms. After all, there is nothing predictable about this island, a forever evolving destination that fizzes at different frequencies. In fact, its mercurial nature is core to the island’s role as creative muse, and has been for decades, with everyone from Pink Floyd to Joni Mitchell to Damien Hirst finding inspiration among its scorched landscapes. Now, the legendary roaming festival, Beat Hotel, is tapping into that same source, celebrating all that makes the island special while topping up its cultural cache in the process.

Inspired by the ethos of the original Beat Hotel, a rundown refuge in the Latin Quarter of 1950s Paris that played host to William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso among others, the Beat Hotel festival became a welcoming sanctuary for free spirits and big thinkers back in 2011. At first embedded within the lush green fields of Somerset in the UK, it has since been transported to the dusty, mosaic-clad medinas of Marrakech, and of course, to the Balearics, which have become its spiritual home. Now in its third outing in Ibiza, this year’s event promises to be the best yet.

Taking place across five sun-soaked days from Wednesday September 27 to Sunday October 01, 2023, Beat Hotel returns to connect with the irresistible essence that’s long made Ibiza a destination for the world’s artistically inclined. Unfolding across a series of the island’s most iconic venues, its wide-ranging programme brings together musicians, DJs, authors and spiritualists, each promising to sprinkle their unique magic on a series of early morning meditations, open-air concerts, perfectly soundtracked sunsets and takeovers at the island’s most beloved dance floors. Throw in exceptional food and drink provided by top tier chefs and the recipe is complete.

Though migratory by nature, this year, Beat Hotel is bedding down at west coast boutique hotel Las Mimosas for the duration of its fantastical five-day stint on the island. ‘The Residence’, as it’s known, is a poolside paradise that acts as a social anchor for the colourful characters and discerning music lovers attending the festival, offering the chance to dip in and hop out at leisure. A hand-picked bunch of the world’s most talented selectors are set to play host at the daily Swim Club, including Andy Wilson, Axel Boman, Phat Phil Cooper and The Brothers Grim all spinning tunes poolside, with the echoes of spirited conversation in the background.

Meanwhile, acclaimed restaurateur, award-winning chef and head honcho at Hawksmoor, Richard H. Turner, has been drafted in to expertly man the Beat Hotel barbecue, where he’ll serve up decadent, smoke-infused feasts for hungry revellers. Joined poolside by some nifty-fingered mixologists, innovative cocktails are also on the menu, and taste best accompanied by a deep dive into unexplored topics with new friends, or alongside kaleidoscopic sunset views on the Las Mimosas rooftop. Open between 12pm and 7pm every day of the festival, this is the place to connect, recharge, and embark on musical discoveries.

As the intoxicating black skies of the Balearic night draw in, the festival’s illustrious evening programme takes centre stage. On Wednesday September 27, 2023, festivalgoers will head west to catch Ibiza’s famous sunset at Beat Hotel Presents Sunset Sounds, hosted at the unparalleled Hostal La Torre, just north of San Antonio. Get set for a fusion of dinner, drinks and a soundtrack crafted by a trio of insightful DJs including Zakia, Cami Layé Okún and Coco Maria, resulting in the kind of pastel-kissed memories that linger long after the sun ray’s have glistened on the horizon for the last time.

The glorious gastronomy that is core to the Beat Hotel premise continues on Thursday September 28, 2023 at Ibiza town’s hottest hangout, The Standard, Ibiza. Here, Beat Hotel Presents Island Times, starting with a tantalising three-course meal curated by revered Michelin-starred chef and self-confessed raver Brad Carter (Carters of Mosely, One Star Döner Bar), whose kitchen prowess has won him many accolades and made him a popular television personality in the UK. Taking inspiration from Ibiza’s famous dancefloors, Brad will utilise the abundance of quality, local produce to create courses entitled ‘warm-up’, ‘main room’ and ‘afterparty’. Expect a delicious, world-class menu bursting with flavours, which may or may not have been plated beneath a disco ball.

The fun doesn’t end with dessert on Thursday night – after dinner is when the action at Beat Hotel Presents Island Times heats up. For this special event, the Beat Hotel crew have set the scene for a diverse array of creatives to come together to showcase their respective art forms. Counterculture visionary and author of Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh, will be in conversation about his craft, while born and bred Ibicencan DJ Gaya Brisa weaves together a special sunset set. Respected ambient musician Gigi Masin is lined up to play a mesmerising live set, and über-talented selector and collector, Luke Una, rounds out the night. The undisputed star in the Beat Hotel crown, if you can only make it to one event this week, make it this.

After easing into the festival week, the party vibes are taken up a notch on Friday September 29, 2023, when Beat Hotel teams up with alfresco venue Cova Santa. Making the most of the balmy Mediterranean air between 7pm and 11pm will be Raw Silk, Willie Graff and Peruvian producer and DJ Sofia Kourtesis, who’s set to play live beneath the stars. As the clock edges towards midnight, the action heads indoors, where Daniel Avery, Gabrielle Kwarteng and Perel take the reins, before John Talabot and Axel Boman reunite for a special B2B under the guise of Talaboman. On Saturday September 30, 2023, head north to Ibiza’s legendary hippie market, Las Dalias, where Beat Hotel welcomes Camilo Miranda and Spirit of Sundaze Ensemble for a free, pre-midnight soiree, followed by Elias Mazian, Alex Kassian and Suze Ijó at adjoining club, Akasha Ibiza.

Finally, polish off your week of spectacular sonic happenings and cultural musings on Sunday October 01, 2023 at Pikes Ibiza, the legendary venue that’s the Ibiza-born embodiment of the Beat Hotel ethos. Start the day with a well-deserved Bloody Mary by the iconic Club Tropicana pool, to the sounds of Pikes residents The Brothers Grim, Willie Graff and Dicky Trisco, then see where the journey takes you when Louise Chen takes over the Sunset Terrace, followed by a hypnotic melange of mischief and mayhem when Shanti Celeste plays b2b with Roi Perez on the legendary Freddies dance floor. What better way to bid adieu to another unbeatable Beat Hotel festival in Ibiza? Tickets to each event are available online – choose your favourite or attend them all!

Clandestine encounters – El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret

Ibiza morphs into a different beast after dark. The crisp blue lines of the horizon become hazy; sea salt clings to the body, prickling the skin; and a hush-hush, clandestine atmosphere is ushered in. Anything can happen on a hot Balearic night, when every second brings fresh opportunities to the fore and the air crackles with possibility. These are unequivocal facts at chic Ibiza beach club, El Silencio Ibiza, on Cala Molí. Set on the sands of a usually quiet cove on the island’s southwest coast, come twilight, it twists and transforms into El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret, where world-class performers contort and writhe for the sensorial pleasure of a select few.

Hidden behind a heavy green velvet curtain that shrouds the spectacle still to come after dinner, El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret unfolds in a low-lit space on the beach club’s upper terrace. Walls and ceilings are painted in lucid tones of turquoise, purple and orange, and in the centre of it all rises a giant, phallus-shaped installation adorned in mirror ball tiles, glistening in the kaleidoscopic light. Tight-knit tables are peppered across the floor, a low ceiling evokes the feeling of being in a slightly sleazy, Parisian backstreet bar, and the stage sits at eye-level, within touching distance of eager and excitable spectators.

First brought to life from the wildly vivid imagination of Rodolphe Salis, who unleashed the now infamous Le Chat Noir on to the streets of Montmartre back in 1881, the concept of cabaret was initially deemed too off-the-wall for the well-to-do residents of Paris. But for the city’s slew of bohemian-minded artists, writers, poets, and philosophers, it promised a kind of exoticism that was hard to resist. Providing a nightclub experience where contemporary music entwined with performance, erotica and shadow play, it was the beginning of a new era for entertainment – one that would play out in Ibiza, at El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret, over 100 years later.

Today, creative powerhouse and multi-hyphenate Ali Madhavi has reimagined the idea in the creation of El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret. Artistic consultant to celebrities including Dita von Teese, Karl Lagerfeld and Kylie Minogue, as well as high-end fashion houses like Balmain, Thierry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier and Agent Provocateur, he cites a fascination with the human body and the exuberance of beauty, as well as the fantastic and subconscious realms, as influences. Respected across multiple genres, including photography and filmmaking, each visual element forms a pillar of the captivating show that unfurls at the legendary beach restaurant.

A groundbreaking production in which tradition and modernity collide, El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret plunges spectators into an immersive world conjured by Madhavi and his right-hand man, Djanis Bouzyani. Whisked on a journey that merges the ambience of Le Chabanais, a luxurious French bordel, with the seedy, post-Franco underground of Spain’s La Movida, every night, six sensational performers take to the diminutive stage in six distinct productions. No two nights are ever the same, as world-class artistes improvise and respond to stimulus from the crowd, weaving their way from stage to floor to aerial hoop in fluid motion to the hypnotic sounds of a soundtrack that wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of Euphoria.

The night’s proceedings are led by the divinely dramatic performance artist Mina Serrano, whose slinky, figure-hugging gown is painted with vignettes of intertwined body parts (mirroring the evocative prints on the ceiling and the floor), and whose playful ribbing of the crowd deepens as the night darkens ¬– be warned: she speaks multiple languages, so no one is safe from her suggestive soliloquies. Drinks flow freely as Mina meanders through the maze of tables at El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret, introducing an ever-evolving parade of performers whose talents range from pole dance and flamenco to classic burlesque striptease and daring acrobatic feats – each carefully crafted movement more sensual and intriguing than the last.

Though the staging at El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret is minimal — all eyes here are on the voluptuous curve of a silhouette or the sky-high heel of a stiletto thanks to expertly wielded lighting – abstract visuals can transport the crowd to something akin to a David Lynch set. Picture a veiled cinema screen with a live action film noir scene being acted out in the moment. Two magnificent burlesque dancers appear, dressed in classic French trench coats; cigarettes languidly hanging from their mouths as smoke snakes around their necks. They begin to strip, slowly, removing one item of clothing at a time, until eventually, just the dewy reflection of skin glowing beneath the light remains.

On other occasions, El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret plays host to solo performers, with dazzling artists defying gravity as they fly through the air, limbs wrapped seductively around an aerial hoop or strategically placed pole. One statuesque beauty sports a towering pair of perspex platform heels and heads out on stage to tempt the crowd with a trance-like simulation of sensual self-gratification, before reaching a breathy, hypnotic climax, while another performer, glistening in equal parts body oil and silver shimmer, dons a diamante-encrusted g-string before swinging up and down a pole with deft. At other times, trios take the spotlight, a jumble of mesmerisingly entangled body parts symbolic of the salacious acts that usually take place in secret.

When they’re not performing, members of the beautiful cast pop up in unexpected places – at behind the bar, in the crowd, at the tables – before graciously heading back to the stage to take a well-deserved bow at the end of the night. The crowd is kissed, embraced and thanked, and as the curtain falls, they snake their way out onto the terrace to mingle with their now adoring fans – sheer stockings, high heels and red lips silhouetted in the moonlight. Exclusive but never exclusionary, there are two showings at El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret each night at 9.30pm and 11.30pm, and though everyone is welcome, seating is limited.

Bringing flashes of ebullience to the island in the style of Crazy Horse or Moulin Rouge, El Silencio Ibiza Cabaret is a dazzling addition to Ibiza’s cultural line-up, and a fine example of the unique creative vision of the beach club’s founders, Parisian tastemakers Arnaud Frisch and Antoine Caton. While you’re there, be sure to check out DJ and producer Dan Ghenacia’s immersive installation, The Oracle, a 15-minute sensory journey guided by unique soundscapes and frequencies that conjures similar emotions to a psychedelic trip – the perfect pre-amble to your cabaret experience. A slice of sultry Paris on Ibiza’s pristine shores, open minds will relish this prismatic experience.

A summer for the senses – Hotel Riomar Ibiza  

In a quiet, waterside corner of Santa Eulalia, a place where the only river in the Balearics meets the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, sits Hotel Riomar Ibiza, a modern lifestyle boutique hotel where timeless luxury is blended with wellness and events for the benefit of guests and visitors alike. Perfectly positioned on the beachfront of the idyllic east coast town, with golden sands stretching out before it and blue skies up above, this stylish property seamlessly combines the yin and yang elements Ibiza is famed for in the curation of energising day and nighttime experiences. Here, you can awaken your senses, find balance and ignite your soul, all in the space of a day.

Hotel Riomar Ibiza’s signature restaurant, Ocean Brasserie and Bar, is a wonderful introduction to the venue’s multifaceted appeal. Open daily between 11.30am and 11pm, this peaceful alfresco restaurant channels the calm beauty of sand and sea, inviting hotel guests and visitors to switch off and slide into laid-back holiday mode on its picturesque terrace, whatever the time of day. Gorgeously chilled during the afternoon, pop in to try an ice-cold spritz or fizz from the new dedicated menu — the bubbly wild berry spritz and pink fizz is a refreshing must when the sun is at its brightest.

Drop-in, chill-out, move your body, socialize with friends, dine on the newly revamped menu, catch a movie and experience an authentic island fiesta.

Kick off your sandals and adopt a slower pace for dining too, because the cuisine at Ocean Brasserie and Bar is designed to be savoured slowly. This year, the menu features an innovative summer refresh, and dishes of note include tasty bluefin tuna poke served with avocado, cantaloupe melon, nori, rice and wasabi pearls; tender lamb cutlet with Ibizan rosemary potatoes; succulent grilled octopus with chilli-garlic crushed potatoes and padron peppers; and decadent black truffle tagliatelle with parmesan. Don’t miss desserts too, with the creamy Riomar cheesecake, made with Balearic cheese and red berry jam, worth a special mention.

Feasting accomplished, guests and visitors are welcomed to soak up Hotel Riomar Ibiza’s carefully curated happenings, a series of thoughtful and inspiring events designed with community in mind. Yoga plays a key role in this, taking centre stage of the hotel’s wellness programming on select mornings each week. Relaxing, hour-long sessions unfold at Tribe, a colourful, secluded garden cocooned from the outside world. Thursdays have a restorative focus, Fridays are for hatha devotees, and Saturdays and Sundays channel the more energetic Vinyasa style. Surrounded by nature, it’s easy to tap into pure bliss here.

Yogis with an intensive practice will be keen to celebrate the impending full moon in Capricorn, a time to nourish roots and set direction for the coming months. To celebrate, Hotel Riomar Ibiza has invited Cosmopolitan UK’s Tarot Reader, Kerry Ward, to lead a dedicated workshop and question and answer session on July 03, 2023 from 6.30pm. Kerry will also be providing one-to-one readings for a lucky group of up to five people. A Full Moon Yoga Retreat is also scheduled, featuring a mini yoga flow, meditation, and culminating in an intentions workshop to harness the power of the lunar cycle.

If you’re more fond of relaxation without any effort at all (we’re all that person sometimes), there are plenty of additional options at Hotel Riomar Ibiza. Perhaps you’d like to spend a sun-soaked day on a luxury sun lounger, in which case a day pass – including food and drink – is perfect for living the life of luxury. Ideal for residents, or those staying elswhere on the island but looking to tap into the ambience of Hotel Riomar Ibiza, the feeling here is of peace tranquility and freedom.

Hotel Riomar Ibiza boasts an exceptional program of curated alfresco events this summer, designed to satiate all the senses and ignite the soul.

As the sun nears closer to the horizon, a different mood descends on Hotel Riomar Ibiza. Afterwork takes place at Ocean Brasserie and Bar every Thursday between 5pm and 8pm, and it’s an opportunity for like-minded guests and locals to embrace the end of the working day with some cool cocktails and tapas in a stunning setting, so you can really leave the stresses behind. Meanwhile, Fridays are all about Cuban Nights, when the vibrant, rhythmic beats of the central American country fill the air on the Ocean Terrace between 9pm and 11pm, and spontaneous dancing should be expected. Que bola! 

To further take advantage of those balmy Mediterranean evenings at Hotel Riomar Ibiza, Starlit Movie nights are scheduled for June 14 and 28, 2023, and twice a month on Wednesday evenings thereafter. Kicking off at 8pm, the ticket price includes a glass of Juvé & Camps Cava, one pizza, and of course, popcorn – watch this space for the list of carefully curated film titles that will be screened over the course of the summer. The perfect excuse to make memories beneath the beautiful Balearic stars.

Finally, in a nod to Ibiza’s ancient traditions, Hotel Riomar Ibiza honours the island’s past with a magical fiesta on Friday June 23, 2023 to commemorate the festival of San Juan. Featuring dynamic live music performances and a pop-up store featuring a range of local Ibiza brands, this celebration fuses two pillars essential to Ibiza life: heritage and partying. Occurring just two days after the summer solstice, it’s a sure sign that the season is finally in full swing, and for guests and visitors to this striking boutique hotel on the beach, that couldn’t come as better news. Be sure to reserve your place so you don’t miss out!

Rolladisco

The global rollerskating revival hits Ibiza this weekend, when Rolladisco arrives at SLUIZ, the concept store, restaurant and event space in Santa Gertrudis – it’s a roller-skating jam on Saturday!

Roll up here from 5pm until 8pm to see SLUIZ transformed into a whirling roller-disco complete with music, fancy dress and the who’s who of Ibiza spinning around the rink – bookings are recommended to guarantee your one-hour slot, and essential to pre-reserve skates in your size if you don’t have your own.

Costumes provided by SLUIZ Entertainment but of course, you can feel free to arrive decked out in all your own sparkly disco glory. Tickets are 10€ per person (BYO skates) or 20€ with skates. Spaces are limited, so you better get your skates on!

BOOK YOUR SPOT AND SKATES FOR THIS EVENT

Remember Me! A Tribute to Coco

Get set for some unforgettable magic for the little ones – and the not so little ones – when Ibiza’s young and young at heart rejoice in chorus this Sunday March 26, 2023, as the world-renowned theatrical musical Remember Me! A Tribute to Coco arrives at Recinto Ferial on the outskirts of Ibiza town for two special performances at midday and 5pm.

Based on the 2017 Oscar-winning Pixar movie, and under the artistic direction of Pedro Pomares, this musical extravaganza is now in its fifth year of touring – with over half a million satisfied spectators and counting! The musical performance promises a vibrant, colourful and fun-filled afternoon that kids will be talking (and quite possibly singing) about all summer long. Tickets are limited, so remember to book ahead so you don’t miss out.

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Introduction to Chalk Paint Workshop

Spend a weekend morning learning how to revive your favourite old furniture with an informative and interactive workshop by Mimo Projects at La Torre Ibiza on the rugged northern coastline of San Antonio.

Taking place on both Saturday March 25, 2023, and Sunday March 26, 2023 from 10am until 2pm, Introduction to Chalk Paint teaches small groups of avid renovators a range of painting and waxing techniques – including how to create that fashionable aged finish – that don’t require any laborious sanding.

Each workshop costs 60€ and prior reservation is required – simply pick the morning that suits you best, and afterwards, you can take home your finished creation, along with a pot of paint and brushes to continue your new hobby at home.

READ MORE ABOUT LA TORRE IBIZA ON WHITE IBIZA

RESERVE YOUR PLACE AT THIS WORKSHOP

Introduction to Chalk Paint Workshop

Spend a weekend morning learning how to revive your favourite old furniture with an informative and interactive workshop by Mimo Projects at La Torre Ibiza on the rugged northern coastline of San Antonio.

Taking place on both Saturday March 25, 2023, and Sunday March 26, 2023 from 10am until 2pm, Introduction to Chalk Paint teaches small groups of avid renovators a range of painting and waxing techniques – including how to create that fashionable aged finish – that don’t require any laborious sanding.

Each workshop costs 60€ and prior reservation is required – simply pick the morning that suits you best, and afterwards, you can take home your finished creation, along with a pot of paint and brushes to continue your new hobby at home.

READ MORE ABOUT LA TORRE IBIZA ON WHITE IBIZA

RESERVE YOUR PLACE AT THIS WORKSHOP

Nudo Pop-Up

Hämbre has created quite the buzz in the centre of Santa Eulalia since opening its doors. A 70s-inspired space centred around internationally inspired cuisine, vintage décor, mood lighting and a buzzing vibe thanks to its loyal crew of creative clientele, the restaurant boasts indoor and outdoor spaces and is open all year round.

This Thursday night sees the buzz build even further, as this culinary powerhouse invites the creatives from the kitchen at Es Figueral hotspot Nudo to pop-up for the night. Dubbing it a ‘cool-aboration’ as opposed to a collaboration, it’s an event no foodie in Ibiza should miss. The à la carte menu is 50€ per person (vegetarian options available), excluding drinks, and there are two limited seatings at 7pm and 9.30pm – reservations essential.

READ MORE ABOUT HÄMBRE ON WHITE IBIZA

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TEDxDaltVila – Pushing boundaries, sharing ideas, expanding perceptions

Sometime in 1984 in a cheap hotel ballroom in Monterey, California, a bunch of geeks got together to listen to each other talk about ‘stuff’. Specifically, technology, entertainment and design – that is to say, TED. That very first TED Talk included, among other things, a demonstration of a compact disc and a young guy called Steve Jobs schlepping a weighty beige box he called a Macintosh. TED (and its community subsidiary TEDx) has grown into a multinational, polylingual, cultural phenomenon. And now, thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers, the very first full-day Ibiza TEDx event, TEDxDaltVila, will be held on Wednesday March 29, 2023 at Can Ventosa in the heart of the island’s capital. 

The theme for TEDxDaltVila is Expanding Perspectives and much like the motivation behind the original TED event, the mission is to challenge the status quo and push the Ibiza community to shift viewpoints and look beyond conventional wisdom. There are selected speakers lined up for the inaugural one-day event – each presenting their ideas, inventions and thoughts in short, concise and captivating presentations. The unwavering drive of lead organiser Mia Kirn, along with a team of highly motivated local volunteers, has led to the development of a multisensory event that’s likely to become an annual fixture on the island’s calendar. 

Long-term Ibiza lover and full-time resident Mia Kirn is the driving force behind the first full-time multi-sensory TEDxDaltVila event in Ibiza on Wednesday March 29, 2023.

Mia’s relationship with Ibiza began through her parent’s love of the island. Conceived in Ibiza and raised all over the world, Mia has visited Ibiza every year of her life. Her parents have been based in San Carlos for decades, and with her own family visits to the island becoming more frequent, it made sense for Mia and her husband to buy a house across the street ten years ago – a place to call home during extended stays with their children. Then, in 2020, the world changed, and so Mia gave up her professional career and the family relocated to the safety of their beloved island home permanently – a sacrifice scattered with silver linings. “Even though I love Ibiza and moving here was the best thing to do, I was sad to leave my job behind,” she admits.

Mia had spent much of her professional life in documentary programming for the likes of Al Jazeera and producing large-scale, televised events before transferring those same skills to an educational non-profit centred around climate change. As she went about her new day-to-day island life, she felt driven to find a new purpose here. Like all parents in Ibiza, Mia experienced the relentless ferrying of children around the island, and it was on those trips up and down dusty caminos that she found her next calling. “I literally went through the whole TED Spotify playlist in the car,” she laughs. “I started to get curious. What would it mean to host a TEDx? I looked over the TED website and realised I could do this in Ibiza.”

Every TED event must have an overarching theme and with hundreds of hours of listening under her belt, Mia knew her theme had to be broad but also related to the issues Ibiza faces as a growing year-round community and tourist destination. Landing on the concept of Expanding Perspectives for the first TEDxDaltVila was quite straightforward – after all, Mia is not the first Ibiza resident to feel like the island is transitioning yet again, shedding its hedonistic image and becoming a place with more substance. “At the beginning, the audience might not understand why each speaker is there but by the end, the thread that binds them all together will be obvious,” she says. 

Among the contributors taking to the TEDxDaltVila stage are Jorge Ferrer – a professor of psychology, relationships counsellor, educator and author of six books. Marina Magdalena, who helps young people explore their creativity while learning real-world skills, sits alongside fashion designer Neliana Fuenmayor, who is dedicated to promoting transparency and sustainable innovation in the garment industry. Pablo Vidarte is an entrepreneur turning plants into biological batteries. There’s sex coach Ruth Ramsay and novelist and playwright Ben Dunwell… and the list continues. 

Mia formed a Speakers Committee to help define the parameters of the TEDxDaltVila theme, assess applications from the public and invite candidates from their own networks. “TED tells you not to look for the speaker but to look for the idea,” she explains. “You have to ask – does this person have something really valuable to share? We were looking for fresh ideas or new perspectives on existing ideas and issues.” There’s no room for self-promotion at a TEDx talk – it’s not about selling more books or tickets to your workshops. Anyone can become a speaker – even if they don’t have public speaking experience – because the TED system is designed to elevate presentations to the level we’re all used to watching on YouTube.  

First, there’s the fact-checking. Speakers must provide extensive drafts of their script with detailed citations. Any study quoted, any factoid, data or date is rigorously checked for authenticity. Then there are countless hours of videotaped rehearsals. The TEDxDaltVila team includes a trained and experienced actor in the role of dramaturge, helping speakers harness their cadence and pace while also training them to stop touching their faces or looking at the floor during their speech. “It’s not a corporate presentation,” explains Mia. “A TEDx talk is a performance. You have to entertain your audience.” And at TEDxDaltVila, it’s not just the speakers who’ll be doing the entertaining. 

The TEDxDaltVila Speakers committee have been dedicated to looking for fresh ideas and new perspectives on existing ideas and issues for this unique event.

For those who have never attended a TEDx event, there is a whole lot more to it than the series of illuminating yet precise talks. It’s a multi-layered gathering that includes an immersive audience experience. From the music you hear and the scents you smell to the goodies you receive (yes! TEDxDaltVila attendees will receive goodie bags!) and the activities on offer during break times, all of it has been carefully and thoughtfully orchestrated. “Three events are happening simultaneously,” says Mia. “The live event in the theatre with speakers and musical performances. There’s also the audience experience, which happens in the breaks, where people will have the chance to network, see new inventions and participate in games. And then, everything is filmed with a full production crew to be uploaded to the TED website.” 

TEDxDaltVila, with its new ideas and inclusive structure (all TEDx events are not-for-profit), is reflective of a wider change in Ibiza, a change that has been developing for years. After decades of exploitation, people are now more interested in protection than profit and the consensus is one of careful optimism towards an Ibiza that not only survives, but thrives.