After weeks spent examining the potential trajectories forward for its activities this year, MUTEK announces hybrid versions of both its festival and Forum, from Tuesday, September 8 to Sunday, September 13, 2020 in Montréal. Fueled by an eagerness to bolster local artistic communities and help them reach wider audiences via our extensive international connections, we have devised new formats and considered realistic changes that will allow us to share the MUTEK experience again in just a few short months.
The hybrid editions of the MUTEK festival and the MUTEK Forum brought about by this process will inhabit both the types of physical spaces they have in the past, where we will continue to ensure the safety of each festivalgoer, artist and team; and new virtual ones through which we will explore uncharted horizons to provide unique programming to audiences around the world.
“Given that two months ago, we were right about to unveil the first elements of our 2020 edition, we have since instead had to imagine a reconfigured MUTEK experience halfway between a physical and a virtual event, conceived as a new playground that—while existing outside our usual comfort zone—continues to put artists first. Through this approach, we wish to preserve every component of the festival and Forum IMG, while also remaining faithful to the spirit of exploration and discovery that has always been one of MUTEK’s most distinguishing characteristics.”
Alain Mongeau, General and Artistic Director of MUTEK
The festival’s programming will feature live electronic music and audiovisual performances, as well as cutting-edge digital works, both local and international—owing in part to collaborative efforts already underway with the MUTEK branches around the globe. Meanwhile, the festival's professional conference and market, MUTEK Forum, will host panels, presentations, case studies, workshops and networking initiatives with the aim of highlighting the artistic creations that shape and bind us. It will also explore new models that buoy creative industries and the arts, and will examine critical technology-related ethics and policy questions driven to the fore by recent events.
We will unveil the first glimpses at our programming in the following weeks. In the interim, we have two compelling options on offer: MUTEK.SF: NEXUS Experience, a completely digital event and space curated by MUTEK San Francisco and inspired by physical club culture, from May 23 to 24, 2020; and our #MUTEKStayHomeSeries, featuring select live recordings, performances and gatherings from past editions of MUTEK network events.
Finally, MUTEK would like to thank its partners, who play a key role in its ongoing activities.
NOTE TO THOSE WHO PURCHASED MUTEK PASSPORTS DURING PRE-SALE
As a result of the changes made to the festival’s format for 2020, we have decided to provide automatic reimbursements for pre-sale purchases of MUTEK Festival Passports. An email containing all the relevant details will be sent out to everyone concerned. Please contact tickets@mutek.org for any questions.
