Parallel Society has revealed the first wave of artists for its 2026 edition in Lisbon, Portugal. The two-day event begins on March 6th, and the music starts on March 7th with a program spanning the UK jazz revolution (Moses Boyd), experimental bass culture (Kode9, Calibre), avant-electronic (Apparat), and cultural ambassadors (Gilles Peterson), with many more acts still to be announced.

A culture-first counterpoint to the corporate consolidation sweeping the global festival landscape, Parallel Society is independent, led by the community, and not for profit. With more than 60% of the lineup sourced from Lisbon's active and diverse homegrown talent pool, the event actively supports the city's underground music scenes.

Ahead of Parallel Society's music and cultural program on Day 2, Day 1, the "[un]conference", invites local and international civic tech pioneers, researchers, academics, activists, and artists to reimagine society for the digital age. The program comprises workshops, talks, hackspaces, and cultural labs that explore community autonomy, privacy, decentralization, and open-source culture and infrastructure. More information about Day 1's agenda and programming.

Parallel Society is the culmination of the work of Logos, a movement to revitalize civil society and defend freedoms with technology. Logos has assembled a coalition to co-organize both days of the event's programming, with aligned members curating their own spaces within Day 1's thematic zones and Day 2's music lineup.

Louisa Haining, Curation Director commented on Parallel Society's approach:

"We believe culture and festivals should serve people, not corporations. Parallel Society is built as a commons: an open space where underground sound, grassroots creativity, and new cultural and technological imaginaries can thrive. With talent of this depth and diversity, both local and international, the event feels like the human expression of the technologies we build."

Early access to Parallel Society is available now.

From Lisbon's grassroots communities to international heavyweights, Parallel Society builds bridges between Portugal's sonic innovators and global pioneers. It reflects the DIY energy that built underground scenes: from pirate radio to post-club collectives.

Confirmed international acts

Parallel Society gathers a global roster of visionary producers, genre-shaping DJs, and pioneering live acts whose diverse perspectives embody the event's cross-cultural ethos:

• Apparat (Live): Elegiac techno to deep orchestral pop ballads. First Portugal performance of new material from the soon-to-be-released album, A Hum of Maybe.
• Gilles Peterson: Since the 1980s, Gilles Peterson has defied genres with his jazz-influenced approach, shaping music trends as a radio presenter, club DJ, producer, and festival curator.
• Calibre: Northern Irish producer and DJ, known for his timeless influence on drum and bass and downtempo sound, making a rare live appearance.
• Kode9: Hyperdub label head, MIT-published author, and seminal bass culture figure.
• Moses Boyd: A meeting of jazz, grime, and afrofuturism, Boyd redefines live drumming and improvisation for the electronic era with a fresh live show featuring songs from the brand-new album, Songs for Sinner.
• Clark (AV): The Warp Records artist performs a new live audiovisual set and album that blurs lines between club energy and abstract composition.

Confirmed Portuguese acts

Showcasing the richness of Lisbon's evolving soundscape, the Portuguese lineup unites underground innovators and diaspora voices that capture the city's unmistakably hybrid and uncompromising spirit:

• Maria Amor & Shcuro (Disco Paraíso)
• Chima Isaaro
• Afrojamslx (live)
• Nelson Makossa
• Collective Unconscious (AV)

Cultural coalition

Co-curated with a coalition of Lisbon-based cultural organizations, Parallel Society draws on their communities and perspectives to form a truly collective program:

• Fábrica Moderna
• Rare Effect
• Manja
• With more joining