1. Introduction
Over the past three years, Sónar+D, a festival focused on the promotion of creativity and innovation, has been running open calls for the exhibition of projects in the field of digital creativity.
Our 2026 Open Call offers applicants the opportunity to exhibit their work as part of a festival internationally recognised for its commitment to cutting-edge content in the fields of art, innovation, and creativity.
Looking far beyond music, Sónar+D explores the spaces between the creative industries, technological research and digital culture. Across a two-day progamme, it hosts talks and debates, experimental performances and interactive installations, combining these different formats within a uniquely stimulating and multidisciplinary festival environment.
With the aim of promoting contemporary creation and contributing to the professionalisation of the sector, this Open Call offers the opportunity to be part of the official Sónar+D programme, which will take place in Barcelona on 18th and 19 June 2026.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this Open Call is to select projects to be exhibited at Sónar+D 2026.
Applications are welcome from two different groups:
Artists, creators and artistic collectives*
Companies, studios and start-ups
We’re looking for specific projects, prototypes and products that explore the spaces between the arts, (digital) creativity and technology, who want to showcase their work in an international festival setting. We welcome applications from anywhere in the world, from both individuals and organisations (provided they fall under the above categories).
Even though we're committed to a global showcase, we will be paying particular attention to applications received from organisations and individuals based in Catalonia, given Sónar+D’s role in promoting and supporting the local creative and digital community.
*If you fall under the first category and your project is selected, we’ll provide an appearance fee and cover the costs associated with the exhibition of your project at Sónar+D. You can find all the details in point 4. Fees and payments for Selected Projects.
3. Selection criteria
The projects presented will be evaluated by a selection committee made up of Sónar+D staff and external experts in the fields of art, technology and innovation.
The selection criteria will be as follows:
Innovation and originality: contribution of the project to the field of digital creativity.
Conceptual and formal quality: solidity of the proposal and relevance of the project.
Technical feasibility: adaptation of the project to the available resources and the conditions of the exhibition space.
Interactivity and adaptation to the context of the festival: capacity for dialogue and/or participation with the audience and coherence with the values of Sónar+D.
Reminder: all projects must be submitted under one or more of the categories listed here.
4. Fees and payments for selected projects
Selected projects by artists, creators or artistic collectives will receive the following:
Fee: each selected project will receive an €800 fee for their exhibit.
xhibition costs: the organisation will guarantee the selected projects an exhibition space within the festival, and will cover exhibition costs – for example transport of exhibits, hire of display screens, furniture – up to a maximum of €1000.
Accommodation during the festival dates, in cases where the project team is not based in Barcelona.
Meals: we'll provide one meal per day for the project team during the exhibition days.
Access to the festival: each member of the selected projects (up to 5 people per project) will receive a Participant accreditation, which includes VIP access to the entire festival (including all of Sónar+D and Sónar).
Complimentary invitations: each project will receive up to 3 VIP invitations to the festival (including all Sónar+D and Sónar events), for their collaborators or other people they want to invite.
All amounts paid by Sónar to an artist, creator or collective will be paid within 30 days of the festival, upon presentation of the corresponding invoice. These amounts will be subject to the withholdings and taxes applicable according to your tax residence.
Selected projects developed by companies, studios, and start-ups will not be eligible for any fees but will receive the following:
Meals: participants will have a daily meal during the exhibition days.
Guaranteed exhibition space: at Llotja de Mar, see point 5. for further guidelines.
Access to the festival: each member of the selected projects (up to 5 people per project) will receive a Participant accreditation, which guarantees VIP access to the entire festival (including all Sónar+D and Sónar events).
Complimentary invitations: each project will receive up to 3 VIP invitations to the festival (including all Sónar+D and Sónar events), for their collaborators or other people they want to invite.
5. Exhibition space guidelines
The exhibition will be held at La Llotja de Mar, located at Pg. de Isabel II, 1, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona.
To ensure the technical feasibility of any applications, given the nature of exhibition space, please bear in mind the following conditions and restrictions:
Nothing may be hung from the ceiling, and no holes may be made in the walls, ceiling, or floor of the venue.
To ensure there is no noise pollution between projects, we cannot accommodate projects that use amplified sound. Please adapt your proposal so that any audio is played through headphones.
The festival will not be responsible for any production or development costs: the only production costs we will cover will be linked to the technical requirements for exhibiting the project.
At least one person per project must be present in its exhibition space at all times during the opening hours: Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June 2026, from 10am to 7pm.
The selected participants will be responsible for assembling and dismantling their projects at the times set by the festival organisation*:
- Assembly: Wednesday 17th June, from 10am to 8pm.
- Dismantling: Saturday 20th June, from 9am to 12 pm.
* These times are subject to change. In any case, the indications of the festival must be followed for assembly and dismantling
The festival will not be responsible for the safety of any equipment, material, or other objects located in the exhibition area.
Requests for DJ sets or any other type of performance will not be accepted. This is not an Open Call to perform at Sónar, and any application that includes such elements will be deleted on reception.
6. Deadline and required documentation
This call will be open for applications until Monday 19th February 2026.
Applications must be made via the application portal, attaching the following documentation:
Contact details: name and surname, postal address, e-mail and telephone number.
Name of artist/collective/company/organisation and title of project.
Project dossier, which must include a conceptual and formal description of the proposal, images and/or videos and an exhibition proposal at Sónar+D.
Biography and/or CV.
7. Intellectual Property
Applicants declare and guarantee that they are legitimate owners (either directly or through authorisations) of the intellectual property rights related to the project they submit to this Open Call (in particular those necessary to be able to exhibit the Project). To this end, they declare and warrant that, if selected, their exhibition will not infringe any intellectual property rights or copyright of any third party.
8. Data protection
Applicants are informed that, by accepting these guidelines, they give their consent for their personal data that they provide through the application portal at the time of submission of the application, to be processed by Sónar for the purpose of processing and managing their application.
The image and name of the selected projects may be communicated to third parties through the channels desired by Sónar for the dissemination of its participation in the festival.
To exercise the rights recognised in the applicable data protection regulations, applicants may contact privacy@sonar.es.
9. Acceptance of these terms and conditions
In submitting an application to this Open Call, all applicants accept these terms and conditions of participation.