Barcelona’s Sónar festival is changing format this year, with its main music programme now centred at Fira Gran Via. The move comes alongside a new leadership team, after last year’s controversy over the festival’s alleged links to the KKR fund.

François Jozic is now director, Andrea Faroppa oversees Sónar+D, and Christian Soares handles music booking. The team says the changes are meant to mark a new phase for the festival, while keeping the parts that have defined it for years.

The main musical programme will take place entirely at Fira Gran Via, with organisers aiming for a more joined-up visitor experience. They say the layout will include friendlier routes and more rest areas, for people spending long hours inside the venue. The festival will keep its day and night structure, with stages opening in stages from 17:00, starting with the Village, then the Park an hour later, followed by the Hall.

A total of 114 artists are due to perform, about the same number as last year. Soares said the new design should still feel like Sónar, with familiar touches such as bumper cars, green spaces, the red curtain and strong sound quality. The festival says the aim is to respect its history while making the site easier to move around.

Sónar+D, the festival’s technology and creativity congress, will move to Llotja de Mar, near Passeig de Colom. The team says this gives the congress a more central city location and allows it to be visited on its own, with tickets priced at €15. Faroppa said keeping it at Fira Gran Via, with a Thursday start at 10:00, did not feel attractive enough.

The congress will focus on the link between art and technology, especially artificial intelligence. Faroppa said the team wants to look at what comes after AI, and to put creativity back at the centre of the conversation. She also said a Chief Creative Officer role will become more important in future companies, because creative people bring a different way of solving problems.

The festival’s organisers also said they have learned from the controversy around last year’s sponsorship debate. Faroppa said the team has become more careful about who it works with, and Soares said the presence or absence of certain brands is a statement of intent. For readers following Barcelona’s cultural calendar, the festival’s new setup is one to watch, and you can also follow our community coverage and local events coverage for more city updates.