Sónar festival announces major restructuring and venue changes

The Barcelona-based electronic and experimental music festival, Sónar, has announced a significant transition following a marketing campaign that used the phrase “Sónar has died” and the dates “1994-2026.” This announcement signals the end of the festival's current era and the departure of its three founders—Enric Palau, Ricard Robles, and Sergio Caballero—who will be succeeded by Belgian director François Jozic.

As part of a new strategic direction, organizers plan to move the daytime edition and the Sónar+D technology and contemporary art fair to Port Vell in Barcelona starting in 2027. This move aims to return to the festival's urban and seaside roots. The nighttime edition is expected to continue at the L’Hospitalet fairgrounds, separating the two components again after a recent attempt to fuse them into a single venue.