“Make City. The Festival for Architecture and Alternatives” is being held for a second year in Berlin under the new theme of “Berlin Remixing.” Discussion topics include social innovation within the city’s organisation and a new collaboration between all the disciplines involved, in the form of fictional concepts and applied international housing projects. A range of exhibitions, workshops, guided tours, talks and lectures will be on offer over the course of 18 days. The programme is divided into three thematic strands: “Structures and Process”, “Urban and Nature” and “Architecture and Space”. Sub-topics include areas such as urban renewal, urban design, public participation, integrating city and nature, modes of living and working, and consumption models and materials. The diverse offering will take place in different locations in Berlin, divided into the “Festival Centre”, “Hubs”, “Make City Open” and the “Studio Talks”. A multitude of international experts in practice and theory have been invited to the festival.

Since it was founded in 1963, the international biennial for graphic design in Brno, Czech Republic, has become one of the most important events of the discipline. Intended as a platform to produce a comprehensive and fascinating “mosaic” by bringing together differing opinions, perspectives, and forms of representation, this year the curators around the Okolo collective of artists are on the lookout for inspiring creative works. A team of experts drawn from theory and practice is assisting with the selection. In addition to the international exhibition, the programme includes lectures, readings, and tours as well as several supporting exhibitions which are dedicated to either individual designers or an overarching theme, for example the graphic design scene in the Portuguese city of Porto or current independent magazines.

Since 1999, every three years, photography has been given a special focus in Hamburg, with viewers having the opportunity to see the world from different perspectives. This year’s event looks at the meaning of the moment you press the button in the process of change. Photographs have the potential to capture a moment, pause time, and initiate change in the observer. The slogan of this year’s seventh edition of the photography festival is “Breaking Point. Searching for Change”. It reflects current ecological, social, political, and economic movements and the current “experience of reality” in times of upheaval. The Triennial of Photography offers a wide range of works from the photographic genre, which can be viewed in various museums, exhibition halls, and galleries and at different art venues across Hamburg.

The Festival of Stuff celebrates materials and making with a range of master classes and a big public street festival. This year, (rediscovered) techniques range from cyanotype printing, to yellow road mark painting and copper bowl hammering. The festival is organised by the Institute of Making, a multidisciplinary research group at University College London. Once a year it organises the Festival of Stuff for anyone interested in materials and making, with four days of master classes on different materials, disciplines and techniques where you can try out and learn something new. The festival culminates in a Saturday Extravaganza of materials and making, showcasing handcrafted products and craftsmanship.

As a festival for creativity, design and communication, the Forward festival gathers together members of the local design scene to present their success stories during the conference and to give insights into the development processes behind these. The conference is accompanied by various events such as workshops, live art sessions, and networking opportunities with the aim of establishing a creative community that encourages interaction in order to progress together.