Berlin, the perfect metaphor for boundless creativity, once again became the epicentre of artistic experimentation with the ninth edition of the Forecast Festival. This multidisciplinary event, held on March 14 and 15 at Radialsystem, was not just a festival but an incubator of radical ideas that challenged the limits of traditional artistic disciplines.
Since its founding in 2015, Forecast has functioned as a creative laboratory where emerging artists receive mentorship from established figures in their respective disciplines. This year, six emerging talents presented the results of months of experimentation under the guidance of six renowned mentors: choreographer Alice Ripoll, visual artist Theo Eshetu, documentary filmmaker Tomer Heymann, designer Fiona Raby, photographer Lieko Shiga, and composer and performer Ute Wassermann.
Each project presented felt like a window into a larger conversation. There was a sense that the artists weren’t just showing work; they were asking questions. And the audience weren't there to consume; they were there to think, to feel, and to respond. Among the most anticipated projects of this edition was KMs of Resistance by Mehdi Dahkan, a choreographic piece inspired by the traditional dances of North Africa, where movement became a language of resistance and encrypted communication. In the audiovisual field, Correct Me If I’m Wrong by Hao Zhou offered an autobiographical exploration of identity and family, while Homesick for Another World by Mei Liu mapped the underground structures of political struggles through a multimedia installation.
Theatre also had its space with Mother Doesn’t Know Mnemosyne by Trà Nguyên, a play that interwove female narratives from different eras and geographies. Meanwhile, speculative design came to life in Shapes of the Unknown by Johanna Seelemann, an investigation into alternative forms and materialities, mentored by Fiona Raby. Sound experimentation also took centre stage with the proposal of Camil Navarro, who, together with Ute Wassermann, explored the most extreme possibilities of the human voice.
What made Forecast a unique event was its ability to act as a radar for emerging creative trends. Unlike other festivals, this one was not about showcasing finished works but about celebrating the process, the questioning, and the constant redefinition of art in the contemporary world. As in previous editions, the event offered not only exhibitions and installations but also talks and encounters where the audience interacted with the creators, gaining insight into the background and evolution of each project. Forecast doesn't rely on spectacle. Instead, it offers depth, intimacy, and an uncompromising belief in art as a force of transformation.
With more than 1,100 applications from 113 countries, Forecast confirms once again that creativity knows no borders or fixed languages. In a world where art is becoming increasingly political, hybrid, and challenging, this festival stood as a testament to creative freedom and the need to keep imagining possible futures. After this edition, one thing is clear: the future of art isn’t something distant or theoretical. It’s being made right now, in places like Forecast. And Berlin just gave us a bold preview of what’s to come.
