Montreal, Canada · 24-29 AUG 2027
MUTEK
Montreal's festival for live electronic music and digital creativity since 2000, six days of audiovisual shows across the Quartier des spectacles each late August.
History
MUTEK was launched in Montréal in 2000 by Alain Mongeau, then director of new media programming at the Ex-Centris complex and artistic director of the Montréal International Festival of New Cinema and New Media. It was built as a companion to that festival, a place to explore where sound, music and new media overlap. The first edition ran from June 7 to 11, 2000, based at Ex-Centris with showcases at Café Campus and Laika. MUTEK's archive lists 34 artists and label showcases from Mille Plateaux, ~scape and Raster-Noton, with Akufen, Carsten Nicolai, Deadbeat and Vladislav Delay among the names, and about 2,000 attendees.
It has run every year since. The Montréal festival stayed in the late May and early June slot through 2016, then moved to late August with the 2017 edition. MUTEK is a not-for-profit, and from 2002 it began adding showcases, tours, international editions and a record label. Its site now links to sister editions in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Mexico, Santiago and Tokyo, and Wikipedia dates the Mexico City edition to 2003.
What the festival looks like now
The 27th edition, held from August 25 to 30, 2026, shows the current shape. Nearly 120 artists from 28 countries played across 18 programs in five series, and MUTEK reported a record number of attendees afterwards. Free outdoor shows ran every evening from 5 p.m. on the Esplanade Tranquille, while the Nocturne series at the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) carried the live electronic core, with A Guy Called Gerald, Dana Ruh and Matthew Herbert. X/Visions took over the Maison symphonique for three evenings of contemporary composition, a hall MUTEK says it had only taken over once before, in 2013, for a night with Nils Frahm and Pantha du Prince. Métropolis ran two all-nighters at MTELUS, with Ben UFO, Facta, JakoJako, Polygonia and Rival Consoles.
The club-facing end of the program has a long thread of Detroit and Berlin names. Jeff Mills is listed on MUTEK's 2012 edition and returned in 2026 for the North American premiere of Stargate, a science-fiction-inspired performance at MTELUS. Daniel Bell appears on the 2015 artist list, and Surgeon played the 2017 edition as Surgeon and Lady Starlight.
Next edition
MUTEK Montréal Edition 28, titled "Sensitive Waves," is scheduled for August 24 to 29, 2027. Festival passes were on sale in limited quantities at the time of checking, with no lineup or venues announced yet.
festival facts
- Founded: 2000, in Montréal
- Founder: Alain Mongeau, now executive co-director and artistic director
- Venues (2026): Esplanade Tranquille, Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), MTELUS, Maison symphonique, Studio-Théâtre of Les Grands Ballets
- Format: six days of live electronic music, audiovisual performance and digital creativity, with a professional Forum strand
- Next edition: Edition 28, August 24 to 29, 2027
Getting there and practical info
The festival is centered on the Quartier des spectacles in downtown Montréal. In 2026 the venues were the SAT at 1201 boulevard Saint-Laurent, MTELUS at 59 rue Sainte-Catherine Est, the Maison symphonique at 1600 rue Saint-Urbain, the Esplanade Tranquille at 1442 rue Clark and the Grands Ballets' Studio-Théâtre at 1435 rue de Bleury. Venues for 2027 have not been announced.
- Airport: Montréal-Trudeau (YUL). The 747 bus runs around the clock from the airport, with one route to Lionel-Groulx metro station (30 to 35 minutes) and one to downtown stops (45 to 70 minutes), according to Tourisme Montréal.
- Metro: Bonjour Québec lists Saint-Laurent station as the nearest metro stop for the SAT and MTELUS.
- Age: the SAT is 18+ only, per MUTEK's venue page.
- Tickets: sold through MUTEK's box office, with passes handled by Weezevent.
FAQ
When is MUTEK Montréal 2027?
MUTEK Montréal Edition 28 runs from August 24 to 29, 2027, according to the festival's announcement of September 1, 2026.
Where is MUTEK held?
In the Quartier des spectacles in downtown Montréal. In 2026 the main venues were the Society for Arts and Technology, MTELUS, the Maison symphonique and the Esplanade Tranquille, which hosts free outdoor shows.
How much are MUTEK tickets?
At the time of checking, the 2027 Festival Passport was listed at $260 CAD and the Festival plus Forum combo passport at $425 CAD, both before taxes and fees. In 2026, individual program tickets and day passes were also sold alongside the passes.
Who founded MUTEK?
Alain Mongeau launched MUTEK in Montréal in 2000. He remains its artistic director and an executive co-director.
Does MUTEK happen outside Montréal?
Yes. The MUTEK network lists editions in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Mexico, Santiago and Tokyo, though Montréal is the original and the festival's flagship.
Who has played MUTEK?
Past lineups include Jeff Mills, Daniel Bell, Surgeon, Akufen, Vladislav Delay, Nils Frahm and Pantha du Prince. The 2026 edition featured Ben UFO, Matthew Herbert, Rival Consoles and Kali Malone.
RTS.FM artists connected to this festival
Only sourced appearances at past editions or on announced lineups are listed.
More: 2027 festival calendar