Welcome to the 22nd edition of CTM! Taking place during an intensified winter lockdown period, this 100% online edition is an attempt to experiment with new digital formats, see how we can continue to support ongoing artistic work, and find moments of interaction and togetherness as a remote music community and audience.

The 2021 festival comprises two virtual club nights, each of which approach the challenges of filling the void of listening to music and partying together in different ways. A series of trans/local commissions task artists with envisioning new ways of creating and performing remotely, be this through new technological innovation, narrative solutions, or other explorations. A week-long Discourse programme engages with the »Transformation« theme in multiple ways. Multiple online apps and tools that allow engagement with artists and other viewers can be tested throughout the programme. Previously announced are the multiplayer CTM Cyberia virtual environment and online exhibition hall and the MusicMakers Hacklab where 10 selected fellows seek solutions to online collaboration throughout the festival week. We hope that opening our digital doors allows for more distributed access that can only strengthen our sense of community. Let's chart the unknown and find togetherness in transformation.

Read the third programme announcement

Exploring Remote Collaboration and Performance

New works by Isabel Lewis and Loraine James; Mark Fell feat Jim O’Rourke, aRian Treanor, Petronn Sphene, Limpe Fuchs; Born in Flamez x Muxxxe feat. Lilly Pfalzer and Ronald Berger; Dana Gingras, Sonya Stefan & Tot Onyx.

The Trans/local performance series features commissioned works that will be live streamed from the silent green Betonhalle venue. Each performance unites a Berlin-based artist with creators in other parts of the world, who explore ways of remote collaborative work and performance.

Virtual Club Night

With: Arieshandmodel (Tortilla), Betty Apple (ArtKB48), DORMANTYOUTH (Pussy Party), EPX x ERAM feat. SASKIA (ZONAexp), ISAbella (Maricas), Oscar Nñ (Papi Juice)

The Club Qu, IOR50 Studio & CTM Present: CQ5 virtual club night created together with Club Quarantäne is modelled quite closely to a real club experience, including a virtual queue and bouncer as you arrive, and an elaborate digital interior to be explored. Especially for this night, we've teamed up with IOR50 Studio and its founder Sam Aldridge to present a queer motion capture archive within the virtual club’s space.

Talks, lecture-performances, panels & more

With Alexander G. Weheliye, AM Kanngieser & Zoe Todd, Ben Trott, Carla J. Maier, Caroline Busta, Cherie Hu, Christine Kakaire, Counterpoint, Dahlia Borsche, Damien Charrieras, Deena Abdelwaned, DeForrest Brown, Jr., Edna Bonhomme, Ewa Majewska, Frances Scott, Jason Edward Lewis, Jean-Hugues Kabuiku, John Willsteed, Khyam Allami, Leila Adu-Gilmore, Lil Internet, Lisa Rovner, Matana Roberts, Maya Indira Ganesh, meLê yamomo, Oramics Collective, Riar Rizaldi, Ruxandra Trandafoiu, Sabelo Mhlambi, Sara Ross, Sébastien Darchen, Stéphane Sadoux, Tiara Roxanne, Tom Richards, Trevor McFedries

The CTM Discourse series focuses on multiple threads related to »Transformation.« Kicking off with a weekend programme streamed live from studio dB, the programme continues into the festival's second week with artist talks and panels, presented at the start of our daily music programme.

Film by Lisa Rovner

Available to stream on-demand 21 Jan - 14 Feb 2021

Sisters with Transistors is the untold story of electronic music’s female pioneers, re-markable composers who embraced machines and their liberating technologies to utterly trans-form how we produce and listen to music today. The film portraits Clara Rockmore, Daphne Oram, Bebe Barron, Delia Derbyshire, Maryanne Amacher, Pauline Oliveros and many other pioneers of modern sound.

Information on our Live Stream, Discord, Solidarity Pass & more

All CTM 2021 events will be streamed live via the CTM YouTube channel and the CTM website. Join performing artists, participating speakers, and the CTM team to chat and enjoy this virtual edition together via the CTM Discord server, now open until 14 February 2021.

While all CTM 2021 events are free, you can support performing artists via the CTM 2021 Solidarity Pass. Valued between 5–100€, all proceeds from the Solidarity Pass will be donated to participating artists via the open-source CTM Drop App, created by Ape Unit's Eventivize. The app is an exploration of alternative ways of valuating and monetising online music performance and art, aiming to offer the public different ways of financially supporting artists.

A further way to support artists is to browse and purchase some of their music. We've created a playlist for CTM 2021 – Transformation on Buy Music Club, a platform that allows anyone to create and browse lists of independent music purchasable on Bandcamp.

We’re also excited to be testing out the previously mentioned new Streamback browser-based app within our select Discourse series events and CTM's closing concert. After registering for the app, you can record and send video questions to the talk Q&A sessions, or reactions to the closing concert performances, which will be visible to the speakers, artists, and audience.

Funded by

Senate Department of Culture and Europe | Initiative Musik | German Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media | NEUSTART KULTUR programme | Goethe-Institut | German Federal Foreign Office | Creative Europe Programme of the European Union | Fonds Podium Kunsten | Performing Arts Fund NL

»CTM Cyberia«, »Streamback«, and »CTM Drop App« are developed as part of »dive in. Programme for Digital Interactions« of the German Federal Cultural Foundation with funding by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media through the NEUSTART KULTUR programme.

Media Partners

The Wire | FACT | Deutschlandfunk Kultur | Resident Advisor | Ask Helmut