We don’t consume ideas and inspiration as we once did. Only a generation ago, there were no smartphones, no social media sites, no podcasts. Spotify, Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist. If you wanted to share in the experiences of people you didn’t know, you had to go see them speak in some public hall; if you wanted to hear bands you only knew from a profile in a magazine, you had to go find their record, if you even could. The immediacy of experience we now take for granted was barely a dream.

That’s what makes Emerge, a three-day “Impact + Music” festival debuting in Las Vegas this weekend, so very unique. Unlike most other festivals combining up-and-coming bands with artists, speakers and tastemakers, Emerge was conceived entirely in this new world. It begins with the ideas—politics, faith, sexuality, protest, wellness—and arranges all those musicians, speakers and artists into programs that look more like mixtapes than showcases. It’s “impact plus music,” not “impact and music.” Just as technology has erased certain lines, so Emerge ignores them. Everything is consumed at once, from the fresh ideas of podcast star Dylan Marron to the inspirational indie rock of Waxahatchee. Here’s what to expect from the debut year of this very different kind of music and arts festival.

Click on the links to the right to plan your Emerge 2018 itinerary.

EMERGE IMPACT + MUSIC April 6-8, times vary, $125-$250 full-fest pass, $20-$30 per show. Various venues, emergelv.com.