OBJECTIVE
FMEL is a space that unites electronic and digital concepts of sound, music and art created by Latin American artists with a global perspective for its fusion and diffusion. As such, the objective of our festival is to expand and enhance Latin American digital culture in Chicago through global cultural connections.

MISSION
Our mission is to provide a platform for a Latino electronic culture in Chicago through a global exchange of digital sound and art. By creating networks, our platform addresses the lack of innovative alternative cultural spaces in our community.

VISION
FMEL desires opportunities to broaden its audience, venues and locations of the festival as well as its programming. Each year has brought new elements from live Internet broadcasting to international representations of FMEL in Chicago and in Mexico City. FMEL would like to collaborate with other cities, nationally and internationally as well as be able to host and present year round programming some time in the near future.

IMPORTANCE
The importance of a space such as FMEL is that it can provide the young Latin-American community with an opportunity to broaden cultural expectations as well as offer an alternate to that of the ‘mainstream,’ as well as enhancing the face of Latino culture in an American society. FMEL enables Latino artists of digital sound and music a means to connect with an eclectic audience locally, nationally and internationally. A contemporary multicultural space like that of FMEL’s addresses the needs of those in the know and those looking for something digitally fresh, while offering a glimpse into innovative multidisciplinary art practices that explore, interpret, and inspire Latino culture.

HISTORY
Young independent artists of Chicago are the core of FMEL, brought together by one concern: the lack of spaces for Latin electronic and digital media. This concern and necessity fuels the making of the first Festival of Latin Electronic Music (FMEL) in Chicago in 2007.

FMEL 2007 focused on introducing international digital sound artists and musicians to the Chicago Latino community via a free all-ages event in a small gallery of Chicago, Pilsen neighborhood. Showcasing international, national and local musicians, such as Antiguo Autómata Mexicano, Seekers Who are Lovers, Kobol, Labo-Labs, Echonine and Perfect Kiss. During both days of digital and electronic sounds, there was a multitude of presentations via digital video, graphic design, photography, painting and sculpture created by young Latino artist residing in Chicago. There were also interactive sessions like ‘‘Circuit Bending’’ (allowing the extraction of sounds through children’s toys) and a ‘‘Jam Session’’ (improvised interaction of coordinate sounds).

FMEL 2008 refreshed the Latin electronic music scene with vanguard sounds of digital manipulation and experimentation. It explored electronic music as a concept and some of its various genres like: techno, breakbeat, down-tempo, experimental jazz and cut & paste to name a few. The participating artists were: Carrie, Fax, Cubenx, Kampion, Kobol, Dark Party.

As well, our exploration included a public symposium “The Concept, History of Latin electronic and its Festivals”, with some of the leading figures of the Latino Electronic Music community; Ejival- founder of Static Discos, Ricardo Guzman Director of Interface Festival in Mexico as well as Carlos Icaza a Mexican musicologist. The symposium stimulated dialogue and provided resources for those interested and curious about the Latino electronic community of Chicago and elsewhere.

Radioglobal.org (Tijuana) offered to broadcast all its events over the Internet, in addition it collaborated with Yollocalli Arts Reach of the National Museum of Mexican Art as well as Radio Arte (Chicago) to produce Youth workshops: Digital Image Manipulation through sound, Internet Broadcasting and DJ’ing. FMEL has reached its goal of providing the community of Chicago with a free cultural event filled with interaction, innovation and inspiration.

VISION 2009

FMEL 2009, has as its objective to provide the Chicago music and art community with the same fundamentals of the previous festival and implement new sound elements through three days of events (Agosto 27-29). Bringing new collaborators and supporters such as the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Chicago, the Chicago Cultural Center National Museum of Mexican Arts and Sonotheque, FMEL will continue to have as its focus a live music showcases, a symposium and workshops. In addition to this years programming is our Play Night encompassing the workshops in a casual environment of cocktails, food, live music and other interactive activities at the NMMA.

In this edition, FMEL will explore various genres of Latin electronic, such as: ambient, experimental, electro-acoustic, pop, tech-house, electro-hip hop, 8 bit & nortec sound.