About
Sarah Mackenzie (she/her) is a curator, cultural strategist and documentary filmmaker based in Tio’Tia:Ke/Montréal. She builds ecosystems: programs, spaces and partnerships where artists, industry and the public meet around new technologies, and new structures that help artistic communities grow and sustain themselves.
At MUTEK, she leads the MUTEK Forum, the festival’s annual arts and technology symposium, now four editions in, and the MUTEK Market, its international platform for the digital creative industries. She also leads the AI Ecologies Lab, which develops AI tools and approaches rooted in artistic practice, and builds partnerships with institutions across Canada, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Over the past 15 years, she has led culture projects for institutions, creative studios, brands and media, working with the Barbican Centre, the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), PHI, the Indigenous Screen Office, Goethe-Institut, CHANEL, Coach, Red Bull, Ableton, Ubisoft, CBC Music, C2 Montréal, Daily tous les jours, T B A Architecture & Design, Jigsaw Productions and more.
Previously, she was Director of Marketing at multimedia studio Gentilhomme and Head of Content for Red Bull Media House, where she led documentaries and all unscripted content in Canada. She was a key collaborator on Impostor Cities, Canada’s official representation at the 2021 Venice Biennale of Architecture, later exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA) in 2023.
At MUTEK, she leads the MUTEK Forum, the festival’s annual arts and technology symposium, now four editions in, and the MUTEK Market, its international platform for the digital creative industries. She also leads the AI Ecologies Lab, which develops AI tools and approaches rooted in artistic practice, and builds partnerships with institutions across Canada, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Over the past 15 years, she has led culture projects for institutions, creative studios, brands and media, working with the Barbican Centre, the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), PHI, the Indigenous Screen Office, Goethe-Institut, CHANEL, Coach, Red Bull, Ableton, Ubisoft, CBC Music, C2 Montréal, Daily tous les jours, T B A Architecture & Design, Jigsaw Productions and more.
Previously, she was Director of Marketing at multimedia studio Gentilhomme and Head of Content for Red Bull Media House, where she led documentaries and all unscripted content in Canada. She was a key collaborator on Impostor Cities, Canada’s official representation at the 2021 Venice Biennale of Architecture, later exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA) in 2023.
Sarah is co-directing Picture Yourself, a feature documentary for Crave produced by EyeSteelFilm and Gorgeous Mistake, about vintage photobooths, queer identity at the analogue-digital crossroads, and the importance of safe spaces for self-expression.
She serves on the Advisory Committee of the SAT’s Living Lab, mentors at NEW INC at the New Museum, and sits on the Lumen Prize International Selectors Jury, the Videocittà Awards Jury and the 2026 Polaris Music Prize Jury. She speaks regularly on creativity and technology at events including TIFF, SXSW and Art Basel. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, CBC Music, Pitchfork, HYPEBEAST, designboom, CLOT Magazine and more.
For collaborations, talks and jury invitations: hello@smackenzie.ca
She serves on the Advisory Committee of the SAT’s Living Lab, mentors at NEW INC at the New Museum, and sits on the Lumen Prize International Selectors Jury, the Videocittà Awards Jury and the 2026 Polaris Music Prize Jury. She speaks regularly on creativity and technology at events including TIFF, SXSW and Art Basel. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, CBC Music, Pitchfork, HYPEBEAST, designboom, CLOT Magazine and more.
For collaborations, talks and jury invitations: hello@smackenzie.ca