Forward Festival Berlin 2025

The Forward Festival Berlin 2025 took place at the end of August at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, and we were once again thrilled to be part of this event. From August 28th to 29th, three stages over two days offered a dynamic platform for more than 50 international creative speakers to spark inspiration and action.

This year's theme was “Turning Ideas into Action,” and the program offered a rich mix of inspiring talks, practical workshops, and engaging side events.

Among the many highlights, HelloMe gave an exclusive sneak peek into their newly founded type foundry, with every visitor discovering a type specimen in their goodie bag. Anthony Burrill emphasized the timeless power of simplicity; Studio Herrström provided us with an inspiring insight into their work in brand design and the music industry, while Porto Rocha, Nicole McLaughlin, and Alice Isaac offered fresh perspectives on branding, storytelling, sustainable design, and experimental creativity. Self-proclaimed techno-optimist Luna Maurer held a performative lecture about how human messiness contradicts prediction, about friction and resistance in digital spaces, and about how her concept of talk-dance gatherings brings people closer together.

The main visual identity for this year’s festival—designed by Found Studio with a soundscape by Echoic Audio—premiered in teaser clips, setting a kinetic tone for the experience.

Workshops ranged from AI-driven design with RUNDIFFUSION AI to Papercraft Magic by Adobe and tufting with CL Studio. Side events such as the Shortest AI Film Festival Berlin and Erik Kessels’ boat tour on the Spree offered additional opportunities to learn, connect, and exchange ideas. In their performance, Niklas Apfel and the Blitzbereit collective explored themes of self-exploitation and the artist’s struggle for visibility in a world saturated with digital information.

The Forward Festival was once again a place to meet old acquaintances, make new contacts, and exchange ideas in a creative and collaborative atmosphere. We are already looking forward to the next edition in 2026.

Further information here.