AI is now ubiquitous across many creative domains, including music making. In an era of transformation, artists who wish to push boundaries and explore these tools must think outside of the box and engage critically with the implications surrounding their use. Important questions concerning data governance, transparency of processes, human-centric creativity, and the empowerment that comes with custom-made software and hardware, cannot and must not be ignored. What new possibilities for human-AI co-creativity do these tools offer? How might entangled collaborative practices of human-AI agencies challenge and expand this emerging field?
Sound like something you’re interested in? If so, we’d like you to apply for the AI Performance Playground, which returns to Sónar+D in 2026 as part of this year’s AI & Music powered by S+T+ARTS programme. Between 17th and 19th June, as part of Sónar+D 2026 in Barcelona, we’re again bringing together a specially selected group of participants from different backgrounds and disciplines to collaboratively explore and expand their use of AI and machine learning for performance. It all takes place under the guidance and tutelage of renowned music producer and sound designer Ben Cantil and experimental music producer and researcher Anna Xambo.
We’re looking for applications from across the spectrum. You might be an experienced AI coder or researcher - or you might be an electronic musician, instrumentalist, or vocalist with little working knowledge of AI. Within the hacklab environment, you’ll combine your skills critically, creating unexpected new mixes and discoveries. The onus throughout will be in collaboration, experimentation, and sharing.
The hacklab will start on Wednesday 17th June at La Salle-URL’s IASLab, a pioneering European laboratory for transdisciplinary research and artistic creation. Two further sessions will be held at Sónar+D - in the spectacular setting of Llotja de Mar - on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June, with a final collaborative performance (open to all Sónar+D 2026 attendees) scheduled to close the final day.
Please note: in order to prepare fully and make the most of the three sessions, there may be some need for coordination ahead of the event - this will be done virtually, using a dedicated Discord server.
The deadline for applications is midnight (CEST) on Sunday 29th March
Please read the below guidelines carefully before submitting your application here.
Key dates and times:
Wednesday 17th June: 10.30am to 6pm at La Salle-URL’s IASLab
Thursday 18th June: 10.30am to 6pm at Sónar+D, Llotja de Mar
Friday 19th June: 10.30am to 7pm at Sónar+D, Llotja de Mar (including final collaborative performance)
Who can apply?
We’re looking for artists, coders, musicians, DIY creators, and creative technologists interested in exploring and deepening their use of machine learning tools, AI, and other related technologies for performance. You don’t necessarily need any prior experience with these technologies, but you do need to have an open mind and be willing to learn, share, contribute and work as part of a group. We welcome applications from anywhere in the world.*
What are we looking for?
Participants will be selected by Ben and Anna, with a special focus on individuals from diverse backgrounds and different disciplines who are interested in working as part of a group - this won’t be a place to work on your individual projects. The Hacklab is a collaborative exercise, where all participants will learn to make use of new tools, exchanging both skills and knowledge.
What am I applying for?
Selected participants will participate in an intensive three-day hacklab, taking place between Sónar+D and La Salle-URL’s IASlab (located in their Barcelona campus). The sessions will be a mix of knowledge sharing, collective experimentation and collaboration. The Hacklab will conclude with a public collaborative performance at SonarÀgora, a c.250 capacity indoor stage located at Sónar+D at Llotja de Mar.
This is a unique experience to learn more about how to use AI and machine learning tools for music, art, and performance, working together with a group of inspiring people with different perspectives and ideas. It’s a chance to hone your skills and establish valuable connections with other creatives from a variety of backgrounds, in the unique context of Sónar+D 2026, one of the world’s leading events for creativity, innovation and technology.
Here are some quotes from last year’s participants:
“Three days of intense creative explosion and tremendous fun”
“It was inspiring to be in such a collaborative environment where everyone was open, supportive, and eager to explore new ideas together”
“An amazing opportunity to meet and collaborate with so many talented people, receive guidance and feedback from amazing mentors while in a highly productive environment”
“Collaborating with people from around the world was truly stimulating and gave me fresh perspectives.”
What do we offer?
All selected participants will receive a Participant +D pass, which includes:
VIP access to the full programme of Sónar+D and Sónar on the 18th, 19th and 20th June in Barcelona, including free shuttle bus services, fast-track access to the venues, exclusive VIP-only areas with bars and restaurants, and other benefits.
Access to the networking App to connect with the entire professional community at Sónar.
Food and drinks on all 3 days of the Hacklab.
You’ll also each receive an additional SonarPass+D VIP for a guest of your choice, which includes:
- VIP access to the full programme of Sónar+D and Sónar on the 18th, 19th and 20th June in Barcelona, including free shuttle bus services, fast-track access to the venues, exclusive VIP-only areas with bars and restaurants, and other benefits.
- Access to the networking App to connect with the entire professional community at Sónar.
* Please note that we cannot provide any assistance or funding for organising travel to and accommodation in Barcelona during the Hacklab: these costs and logistics are the sole responsibility of each participant.
We can provide a formal letter of invitation if needed for any funding or VISA applications.
How do I apply?
This is the easy part: just fill in this form before midnight (CEST) on Sunday 29th March. Selected participants will be informed by mid-April 2026.
About the facilitators:
Ben Cantil
Ben ‘Encanti’ Cantil is an award-winning technologist, educator, and electronic music producer, operating at the creative intersection of machine learning and audio synthesis. He is the lead product designer for music tech startup DataMind Audio, building expressive instruments for the AI era.
Ben has authored curriculum for music production courses for global institutions, while most recently focusing on Encanti Music Academy, where music theory and electronic music production is taught alongside neural networks. He is also an accomplished electronic musician under the pseudonym Encanti, releasing music on major labels (Monstercat, Ophelia) to millions of streams, and frequently performing at electronic music festivals.
Experimental electronic music producer and researcher. Biased for being passionate about extreme digital minimalism and a past performer on bass guitar, she likes to explore the boundaries of digital sound focusing on low frequencies, compulsive rhythms, and noisy textures. Her research and practice concentrate on creating sound and music computing systems looking at novel approaches to collaborative, participatory, and live coding experiences. To date, she has released four solo albums: "init" (Carpal Tunnel, 2010), "On the Go" (Carpal Tunnel, 2013), "H2RI" (Pan y Rosas, 2018) and "detuning a tuning" (Carpal Tunnel, 2023). She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Sound and Music Computing at the Centre for Digital Music (C4DM), School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London. She leads the research lab Computational Sonic Arts Lab; is a co-lead of the EECS Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN); and a technical co-director of the C4DM Studios. She is the Principal Investigator of the Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project “Sensing the Forest: Let the Forest Speak using the Internet of Things, Acoustic Ecology and Creative AI" (2023-2026) and has also led the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Human-Data Interaction Network Plus funded project “MIRLCAuto: A Virtual Agent for Music Information Retrieval in Live Coding” (2020-2021).