Sónar+D 2018 reaches for the stars

How things will change in the next 25 years in terms of space travel, music, technology, knowledge and the internet is the focus of Sónar+D 2018. The international congress devoted to the transformative impact of creativity on the future celebrates its sixth edition in Barcelona this year as part of the Sónar music festival from June 13 to 16.

Focusing this year on the future of music, space exploration, audiovisual experiences, the internet and intelligence, this edition of Sònar+D includes guest organizations such as NASA, MIT Media Lab, Google Magenta, Mozilla and Bandcamp, as well as the creators Ian Rogers, Nelly Ben Hayoun, Zach Lieberman, Susan Rogers and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Among the activities on offer at Sónar+D will be a workshop to build nano-satellites, an exhibition on the dark side of technology and a gathering of creators researching the role of art beyond planet Earth. In all, the 2018 edition of Sònar+D will offer 100 activities and 150 talks, and will include 5,000 accredited participants from 3,000 companies.

On Wednesday, the event’s curator, José Luis de Vicente, said that one of the main subjects of the sixth edition will be space exploration. Representatives of the NASA space agency will explain the latest research into planets similar to Earth outside the Solar System, while MIT Media Lab will present an initiative on the democratization of nano-satellites.

As for music, companies such as Google Magenta and Jukedeck will explain how artificial intelligence can help artists create, while innovators Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto will share their creative experiences, while also bringing the congress to a close with a concert. Other artists due to speak are Niño de Elche, Israel Galván, Refreee and Isaki Lacuesta.

Other subjects of the future that will be represented at the congress include virtual reality, facial recognition, mobile technology, the internet and artificial intelligence, with the participation of the likes of Zach Lieberman and the Garage Stories studio. Meanwhile, the Sonar360º and SonarMies spaces will explore artistic immersion through sound and video.