MUTEK Montreal: Digital Creativity & Music Festival
Source: qcna.qc.ca
MUTEK Lights Up Montreal
The 26th International Festival of Digital Creativity and Electronic Music, MUTEK, took place in Montreal from August 19-24. For six days and nights, the festival combined audiovisual performances and discussions in the Quartier des spectacles.
Over 120 artists from 26 countries participated in 17 programs. Many artists premiered their work in Montreal.
MUTEK Forum
The 11th MUTEK Forum occurred from August 20-22. This platform for digital creation ideas gathered artists, institutions, researchers, technology experts, and curators. Talks, lectures, masterclasses, workshops, screenings, listening sessions, and networking events highlighted digital creation practices.
Encode Canada presented “System Reboot,” a skit about AI. Six youth representatives roleplayed futures with and without transparency and equity. Whi-Ming Joseph of Encode Canada said it was rewarding to see their work presented and well-received.
MUTEK said the Forum focuses on technology ethics and sustainability. It explored the connections between art, technology, and science across music, AI, Extended Reality (XR), media art, gaming, quantum computing, architecture, and design.
Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, composer for Utopia, Black Mirror, and The White Lotus, was the keynote speaker. Tapia de Veer discussed his experimental creative process. He aims to make vocals sound interesting, but not through robotic effects.
Jarrett Martineau noted the success of The White Lotus theme, highlighting Tapia de Veer's impact.
The Forum introduced new formats, collaborations, and demos from the AI Ecologies Lab. This residency program develops sustainable AI tools for digital arts. The festival also featured the MUTEK Market, connecting Quebec and Canadian artists with international presenters.
Concordia’s Milieux Institute, the Applied AI Institute, and the Hexagram Network presented exhibitions, workshops, and labs. These initiatives invited the public to engage with AI, digital ritual, and feminist tech in playful ways.