How is artificial intelligence changing the way we create, produce, teach, perform and organise music? What happens when musicians, educators, producers and music organisations put AI tools to the test? The Landesmusikrat NRW in cooperation with festival SoundTrack_Cologne invite practitioners, researchers, artists, educators and innovators to submit proposals for workshops at AI MusicCon 2027, taking place in Cologne in July 14th, 2027.
Following previous editions exploring the opportunities, challenges and cultural implications of artificial intelligence in music, AI MusicCon 2027 will focus on practical experimentation. We are particularly interested in people who actively incorporate AI into their professional or artistic practice or experiment with it, and are willing to share their approaches, experiences, findings and open questions with an international audience.
What are we looking for?
We welcome proposals presenting practical experiments, prototypes, creative processes, research projects and real-world applications of AI in areas such as:
- Music Production: AI-assisted recording, sound design, mixing, mastering, creative workflows and new production techniques.
- Composition and Songwriting: Generative systems, human–AI collaboration, algorithmic composition and new approaches to musical creativity.
- Music for Film and Media: AI in film scoring, game audio, audiovisual production and adaptive music.
- Music Education: Experimental teaching methods, AI-supported learning, instrumental instruction, composition pedagogy and educational applications.
- Music Associations and Community Music: AI applications for choirs, orchestras, amateur music ensembles, music associations and other community-based music organisations, including artistic, administrative and organisational practices.
We also encourage interdisciplinary proposals that explore unexpected uses of AI or challenge established assumptions about its capabilities and limitations.
Workshop format
AI MusicCon 2027 will feature three parallel workshop tracks, taking place in three rooms. Each workshop will last 30 minutes and should provide a focused, engaging presentation of an actual experiment or practical application. We particularly welcome live demonstrations, hands-on examples, comparisons of different methods, presentations of works in progress and honest reflections on both successful and unsuccessful experiments.
Experiments do not need to have produced definitive results. We are just as interested in what did not work, what surprised you and what questions remain unanswered. The emphasis should be on sharing practical experience rather than promoting commercial products or presenting purely theoretical perspectives.
Who can apply?
We invite submissions from composers, musicians, music producers, sound designers, film and media composers, music educators, researchers, software developers, representatives of music organisations and anyone actively exploring the use of AI in musical practice. We welcome proposals from both established professionals and emerging practitioners.
Speaker support
Selected workshop presenters will receive:
- An honorarium of €300 per workshop
- Reimbursement of travel expenses equivalent to second-class rail travel
- Accommodation for one night
How to submit a proposal
Please send us:
- Your name, professional affiliation (if applicable) and contact details.
- A proposed workshop title.
- A short description of your experiment, its objectives, methods and findings or expected insights (approximately 200–300 words).
- A brief professional biography (approximately 100 words).
- Information about any technical equipment or facilities required for your presentation.
- Links to relevant examples, recordings, demonstrations or project documentation, if available.
Submission deadline: February 28th, 2027
Submission address: r.v.zahn@lmr-nrw.de
Conference date: July 14th, 2027
Venue: Comedia, Cologne, Germany
AI is not simply introducing new tools into musical life. It is prompting us to reconsider creative processes, artistic collaboration, musical learning and the ways in which music communities operate. At AI MusicCon 2027, we want to move beyond speculation and general debate. We want to see what people are actually doing with AI, learn from their experiences and discuss what these experiments might mean for the future of music. Show us what you are experimenting with. Share what you have discovered. And help us explore the possibilities and limitations of AI in music.