Born in Mexico City, Paco Barba is a graphic designer who graduated from Chicago's Columbia College. During his tenure as Director of Digital Marketing at Thrill Jockey Records (2005 - 2013), Paco left an indelible mark on the label's catalogue, contributing to over 40 titles. His role in promoting the label and facilitating artistic exchange between Chicago and Latin America further enriched the cultural landscape.
Paco has earned numerous awards and accolades. His visionary projects, such as "Close to There/Perto de Lá" (2018) between Chicago and Salvador, Brazil, and "Elastic Arts: An Improvised Music Exchange Between Mexico City and Chicago" (2019), have been supported by the MacArthur Foundation's prestigious International Connections Fund. His curatorial practice in printed books was honoured at the Tokyo Art Book Fair in 2019, and in 2017 he received a prestigious curatorial fellowship at the Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago.
As artistic director of Grupo Indie Rocks!, Paco continues to have a profound impact, not only helping artists find their way in the field, but also presenting over 430 captivating performances at renowned venues and festivals in Mexico City, including Festival Hipnosis, Festival Aural, Festival del Centro Historico de la Ciudad de Mexico, Lampo, Semana IR! and, most recently, the Pitchfork Music Festival in Mexico City.