Richie Hawtin and Indira Paganotto join thought leaders at Buenos Aires Dance (BAD) 2026

From February 11th to 13th, Buenos Aires will become the focal point of electronic music in Latin America with the arrival of BAD – Buenos Aires Dance. 

The event will bring together global industry leaders such as Richie Hawtin, Indira Paganotto, Carlita, Kevin De Vries, and Miguel Bastida, and will officially kick off the most intense week of the year as the official lead-up to ULTRA Buenos Aires, which will be held on February 14th and 15th at Parque de la Ciudad.

BAD was created as a comprehensive platform that combines education, innovation, culture, and networking, bringing together DJs, producers, managers, bookers, labels, brands, educational institutions, content creators, and fans in a space designed to understand how the industry is built from the inside.

Including conferences, workshops and pop-ups, the main activities will take place at Usina del Arte, with programming open to the public on Thursday, February 12th and Friday, February 13th, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, across two rooms and an expo area with interactive experiences from leading brands such as Ableton, Pioneer DJ by AlphaTheta, Algoriddim, Arjaus, and Thonet & Vander.
 

Thursday, February 12th – Room A

5:00 PM
The main day will begin with one of the most anticipated presentations of BAD 2026: Richie Hawtin, a global techno legend, who will present his talk “Man and Machine” at 5:00 PM.

6:15 PM
The panel “Inside the Industry” will take place, a central conversation about how decisions are made in today's music industry, with a lineup of leading figures representing different areas of the global business:

Jonas Schumann – Partner Agent, Electronic Music Department (WME)
Damián Amato – President, Sony Music Entertainment
José Luis Cameron – Founder and CEO, Gonna Go Producciones
Mariana Grassi – General Director, peermusic Argentina
Cecilia Crespo – Vice President of WIN and General Manager of ASIAR
Tatool (Santiago Ruiz) – Producer and artist (14 Gardel Award nominations)
The closing of Room A will be at 7:00 PM with Mariano Mellino and Gia Fazio, presenting the talk “From Villa Madero to the World,” an inspiring story about artistic development and international projection.

Thursday, February 12th – Room B

Room B will focus on cultural conversations, training, and communication within the industry, beginning with a special talk presented by Women in Music, an international non-profit organization founded in 1985 in the United States, recognized for its work promoting and empowering women in the music sector.

5:30 PM
The space will include the panel “Pioneers of the Beat,” followed by “Without Permission, Without a Manual”, a talk focused on alternative paths and self-management in the scene.

6:30 PM 
There will be a screening of the documentary “10 Days With Boris Brejcha,” and the program will continue with content focused on marketing, communities, digital conversion, and communication strategies, concluding with a masterclass on how to connect with online audiences.

Friday, February 13 – Room A

The second day of BAD will raise the bar with a lineup featuring artists who are currently shaping the international scene.

5:00 PM
Indira Paganotto will present “Rise to Fame,” moderated by Carolina Martin, Artist & Label Partnerships Lead – Southern Cone at Spotify, who manages relationships with artists and labels in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

5:45 PM
Carlita - a key figure connecting electronic music with high fashion links - has been redefining the link between sound, aesthetics, and brand identity, and will present her talk, “Beats, Brands & Culture.”

6:30 PM
Kevin de Vries will present “Building Icons”.

7:15 PM
Kolombo and Fran Bortolossi will close the day with “Beyond the Drop,” a conversation about how to stand out among more than 100,000 releases without losing your identity and maintaining a sonic narrative.

Friday, February 13 – Room B

Simultaneously, Room B will offer a program focused on artistic development, technology, and new creative tools.

5:00 PM
The panel “Being an Independent Artist Today” will take place, with Miguel Bastida, Emiliano Demarco, and Jay De Lys.

6:00 PM
“AI and the Sonic Future” will be presented, focusing on how to enhance creativity and expand possibilities in music production.

7:00 PM 
The programme closes with a special masterclass by Juan Hansen: BAD Expo: Technology, Labels, Co-working, and Real Networking.

In addition to the conferences, BAD will feature an Expo space within the Usina del Arte, with booths showcasing technology, brands, labels, and coworking spaces. 

The expo will be open during the two days of conferences and will serve as the heart of networking: a place to discover tools, connect with new projects, and forge direct links with key players in the industry. 

BAD will also be attended by: 

Tweety Gonzalez | Andres Mayo | Mariano Trocca | Gonzalo Solimano | Julian Mastrangelo | Patito Festa | Bebe Pueyrredon | Gia Fazio | Santiago Domingo Devia | Damian Amato | Jonas Schumann | Jose Luis Cameron | Mariana Grassi | Cecilia Crespo | Carolina Lacobara | Erica Santos | Silvana Gomez Caje | Melisa Lipnizky | Carolina Martin | Rodrigo Decono | Lola Monteiro | Kathleen O’Malley | Santiago Cruz | Nicolás Madoery.

For further information and to register visit isbad4you.com.