Professional Conference MMMAD26: Stage Technologies and Hybrid Practices
Space: IED Madrid Design District
Dates: 20, 21, 22 April, 2026
Schedule: multiple
Entry: free prior registration through this link
In the context of its seventh edition, MMMAD Festival presents a series of professional encounters dedicated to exploring the impact of emerging technologies on contemporary performing arts. Over the course of three days, artists, technologists, researchers, and cultural managers will share methodologies, experiences, and models of collaboration that are redefining the relationship between body, stage, and technology.
The sessions will address topics such as collaboration between artists and developers, the international circulation of stage projects linked to digital technologies, new learning environments for new media arts, and the emergence of hybrid bodies and robotic systems in contemporary performance. Conceived as open spaces for exchange, these encounters aim to foster connections between artistic communities, cultural institutions, and educational environments, contributing to the development of a critical and collaborative ecosystem around creative technologies.
All sessions are free of charge with prior registration. The format will be reduced groups of selected professionals to enhance exchange and workshop methodologies. The names of the speakers will be announced soon.
April 20 (Mon), 6–8 PM. Collaborations between Performing Arts and Creative Technologies (ESP)
This panel explores forms of collaboration between performing artists and creative technologists in the development of hybrid works that combine body, software, and interactive systems. Drawing from different professional experiences, participants will share working processes, research methodologies, and production strategies that help articulate shared languages between artistic practice and technological development. With the participation of Muriel Romero, Artistic Director of the Compañía Nacional de Danza, and Mikolaj Bielski, Artistic Director at Réplika Teatro..
April 21 (Tue), 6–8 PM. Networks and Festivals: Sharing Knowledge and Experiences (ESP)
Festivals and national and international networks play a key role in the circulation of performing arts projects that incorporate digital technologies. This conversation will examine how these platforms function as spaces for exchange, experimentation, and visibility for artists and projects, as well as the challenges and opportunities involved in building international communities around digital and performative arts. With the participation of Bani Brusadin, lead curator at Medialab Matadero, and Alfredo Miralles, coordinator of redACTS.
April 22 (Wed), 3–5 PM. Learning Environments for New Media Arts and Creative Technologies (ENG)
The emergence of creative technologies has profoundly transformed educational contexts related to the arts. This session will explore how universities, art schools, and research labs are developing new pedagogical models that combine art, technology, and critical thinking, training a new generation of artists capable of working in interdisciplinary contexts. The session will place special emphasis on the approach developed at IED Madrid, with the participation of Carmen Lael, curator, researcher and Programme Leader of the BA in Creative Media Arts, and Andrea Muniain, artist, curator and Programme Leader of the MA in Digital Arts and Creative Technologies.
April 22 (Wed), 6–8 PM. Robotic Bodies in Performing Arts (ENG)
The integration of robotics, autonomous systems, and intelligent devices is transforming the possibilities of the body in the performing arts. This conversation will explore how these technologies introduce new forms of presence, agency, and relationships between humans and machines, opening up aesthetic and philosophical questions about the future of performance. With the participation of Irene Molina, artist, and Mit Borrás, artist and curator.
Cover image: Adaptasi Cycle, Mit Borrás