FUTURE FESTIVALS LAB
Thursday October 17th from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Manitoba Technology Accelerator on Esplanade Riel (50 Provencher Blvd)

As the world faces unprecedented environmental, social, and cultural challenges, the Future Festivals Lab emerges as a vital platform for reimagining the role of festivals in shaping resilient and adaptable futures. Situated within two distinct bioregions—Mexico City and Winnipeg—the lab spans the vast geographic, ecological, and cultural diversity of the Americas, offering a unique opportunity to explore how festivals can evolve to meet the needs of their communities and environments.

The Future Festivals Lab will begin with a keynote that virtually bridges the vibrant cultural landscapes of MUTEK.MX and send + receive, setting the stage for a cross-regional exchange of ideas. Through the eyes of artists from Mexico and Canada, we will envision festivals of the future, deeply rooted in their respective bioregions, yet interconnected in their efforts to foster sustainability and cultural vitality.

Expert presentations will provide insights into the current state of festivals and their potential futures, while an interactive session will invite participants to craft their own visions for festivals that are not only celebrations of culture but also resilient, adaptive responses to the unique challenges of their bioregions.

The day will culminate in a panel discussion featuring festival-makers from diverse bioregions, issuing a collective call to action: to build networks of festivals that are not only culturally enriching but also ecologically and socially resilient. 

The Future Festivals Lab is not just a conference but a collaborative experiment in designing the festivals of tomorrow—festivals that are as diverse and dynamic as the ecosystems and cultures they inhabit.

PROGRAM

Between 12:00pm and 5:00pm, we’ll hear from international speakers by way of a live link to MUTEK.MX in México City, as well as festival makers and artists in Winnipeg, including Ashley Au of Cluster Festival; Brendon Ehinger of Prairie Wires; Peter Burton from Arts in the Margins; and a special performance and artist intervention by Casey Koyczan.

Schedule

12:00pm – 1:00pm – Opening Dialogue 
with Maurice Jones, Alex Scholz, and Greg J. Smith

1:00pm – 2:00pm
Networking Hangout – Lunch

2:00pm – 2:15pm
Artwork: Interspecifics presents Aire

2:15pm – 2:30pm
Artwork: Casey Koyczan

2:30pm – 2:40pm
Presentation: Festival Hipnosis

2:40pm – 2:50pm
Presentation: Prairie Wires

2:50pm – 3:00pm
Break

3:00pm – 3:45pm
Panel: Artistic and Festival-making Practices in Different Bioregions 
with Interspecifics, Casey Koyczan, Hipnosis, and Prairie Wires 
moderated by Iván Abreu with audience Q&A

3:45pm – 4:00pm
Break

4:00pm -5:00pm
Panel: Building Resilient Festival Networks Across Bioregions
with Hello World, Cluster Festival, Cam Scott
moderated by Maurice Jones