Photos: Trung Dung Nguyen Artists: Ouri, Laura Luna and COLLEEN
MUTEK was proud to announce its participation in the official announcement of the Canadian partners involved with the Keychange project, an initiative aimed at the empowerment and professional development of female artists, innovators and cultural workers in the field of digital arts and electronic music at the Office of the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom in London on February 26.
Keychange brings together six European festivals and is initiated by the PRS Foundation in the United Kingdom, supported by the European Commission’s Creative Europe program.
Throughout 2018, a cohort of 60 European artists and innovators will circulate through these festivals, including MUTEK, to present performances and participate in professional activities such as conferences, networking events and creative laboratories. They will interact with leaders in technology, design, music, audiovisual and other sectors to forge strong links with each other.
As the only non-European partner and key anchor for this project in the Americas, MUTEK will expand the initial scope of the project to involve a pan-Canadian network of artists, industries, institutions, academics and local partners. Capitalizing on its links in Latin America, MUTEK also aims to include women from Argentina and Mexico in its Keychange activities.
During its 2018 edition, which will be held from August 22 to 26, the MUTEK Montréal festival will host artistic showcases featuring female artists, and a two-day symposium featuring creative laboratories, workshops and discussions. ” Conscious for many years of the low participation statistics of women in the digital arts, electronic music and in the broader spectrum of music festivals in general, MUTEK is pleased to actively contribute to addressing greater parity in our artistic field, ” says its artistic director Alain Mongeau.
Patti Schmidt, curator and lead for this project at MUTEK adds : ” As a woman who has worked in music and arts for more than 25 years, I am encouraged by the current climate and momentum aimed at addressing the structural issues and discrimination that exclude women and other groups from so many opportunities. We hope to put forward a program during the festival that moves not just the conversation forward, but also engenders real change in our milieu. ”
The complete program of the MUTEK 2018 edition will be unveiled later this spring.
MUTEK festivals in 2018
MUTEK Barcelona edition 9: April 7-10 including the presentation of 5 performances from Québec and Canada Alexandre Burton & Julien Roy (artificiel) — Three Pieces With Titles, Alexis Langevin-Tétrault — Interférences (String Network), Herman Kolgen — Train Fragments, Kara-Lis Coverdale, Lucas Paris — AntiVolume IN/EXT.
Presented with the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Embassy of Canada in Spain.
MUTEK San Francisco edition 1: May 3-6
MUTEK Montréal edition 19: August 22-26
MUTEK Buenos Aires edition 2: September 21-23
MUTEK Mexico edition 15: October 22-28
MUTEK Dubai edition 2: TBC
MUTEK Tokyo edition 3: November 1-4
About MUTEK
The MUTEK festival has taken place in Montréal since 2000 and has distinguished itself as an international rendezvous for original and avant-garde programming. In terms of content, the festival’s range strives to be diverse, with interests in both the experimental and the playful sides of digital creativity. MUTEK’s programming intends to create a sonic space that can support innovation in new electronic music and digital art. MUTEK is also in Mexico, Barcelona, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Dubai and Tokyo.
About Keychange
Keychange is a pioneering European initiative which is empowering women to transform the future of the music industry and encouraging festivals to achieve a 50:50 balance by 2022. 60 emerging artists and innovators from across Europe will be invited to international festivals to take part in a series of showcases, collaborations and a programme of creative labs. Backed up by an innovation fund for the network to test new projects and ideas, Keychange aims to accelerate change and create a better more inclusive music industry for present and future generations. Keychange is led by PRS Foundation, supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, in partnership with Musikcentrum Öst, Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves, BIME, Tallinn Music Week, Way Out West, The Great Escape and Mutek. Find out more keychange.eu