Every September, Germany’s capital comes alive as it celebrates the best in contemporary art. The Berlin Art Week, a much-anticipated show among collectors, art enthusiasts, residents, and visitors, is a five-day festival. This year, it is from September 10 – 14, celebrating Berlin’s vibrant art community with exhibits and performances in museums that come under SMB (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin or National Museums in Berlin), galleries, institutions (including Stiftung Kunstforum der Berliner Volksbank and the Schinkel Pavillon der Gegenwart), top foundations (including the Julia Stoschek Foundation) and public spaces showcasing performance art, which fill the air with creativity and cultural energy.
Whether you are a collector, a visitor experiencing Berlin’s art scene for the first time, or want to explore the best of contemporary art, Berlin Art Week is worth a visit. Visiting during Berlin Art Week offers the opportunity to experience Berlin’s creative side while your tour Berlin neighbourhoods.
What is Berlin Art Week?
The annual art festival, which replaced the earlier Art Forum Berlin (a well-known international art fair that took place for fifteen years from 1996 to 2011), debuted in 2012. Since then, it has become a top cultural event, celebrating contemporary art in Europe. The Berlin Art Week features displays in multiple venues across the city in partnership with art institutions, galleries, museums (including a few under the SMB umbrella), and exhibition spaces, showcasing creativity in various forms, including performance art and music. Both established and emerging contemporary artists participate in the 5-day event.
The Berlin Art Week features two main art shows – Positions Berlin and Berlin Art Fair. Positions Berlin showcases new and upcoming talent, while the Berlin Art Fair at Hamburger Bahnhof focuses on conventional art. The week features exhibits, lectures, tours, films, and more. The programme changes from day to day, which means there’s something new to discover daily.
What to Expect from Berlin Art Week 2025?
This year, Berlin Art Week spreads over 100 venues across the city. Among the highlights are:
Berlin Art Week Garten: Sept. 10th to 14th
The location of the festival centre of the Berlin Art Week, which also serves as the information hub of the event, is at Hamburger Bahnhof in Mitte (Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart) – part of the SMB (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) network. Besides indoor exhibitions at the National Gallery of Contemporary Art (Neue Nationalgalerie) with courtesy artist talks ranging from emerging names to established figures like Ruprecht von Kaufmann, the programme features outdoor events at different time slots throughout the day, including a guided tour through the gallery, workshops, DJ sets, performance art, and screenings that fill the garden air with music, conversation, and interactions.
Positions Berlin: Sept. 11th to 14th
Tempelhof Airport is the location for Positions Berlin. From September 11 to 14, Hangars 5 & 7 turn into a display location for 75 galleries spread over 10.000 square metres, showcasing the works of top contemporary artists from 18 countries. Many of the participants also have works displayed in Berlin’s top museum collections. The event includes presentations by some of Berlin’s fashion designers. Berlin art Week also has special exhibits, talks, and award ceremonies which are:
- Gallery night
- Open houses
- Featured night
Gallery Night
On September 11th, around 50 gallery venues in Berlin open their doors from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., allowing visitors to explore new exhibitions across the city and interact with artists. Some venues also have drinks and DJs as part of their launch event.
Open Houses
During Art Week, some of Berlin’s renowned private collections will be on view late into the evening, offering visitors access to artworks that have never been publicly displayed.
Featured Night
On Friday (September 12th), many project spaces and special projects will open their doors late into the evening to allow visitors access to installations, performances, guided tours, and parties that fill the capital’s streets with a unique energy and vibrancy. For those who don’t live in Berlin, Featured Night offers a glimpse into the off-the-beaten-path contemporary art scene.
What Not to Miss at Berlin Art Week 2025?
Solo Exhibitions
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- “Make a travel deep of your inside, and don’t forget me to take” by Singapore-Chinese artist and film-maker Charmaine Poh, named Artist of the year 2025 by Deutsche Bank’s art foundation. Her video installations are on display at Palais Populaire. Her works link personal memory with broader social narratives, creating intimate experiences that resonate with viewers.
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- “Magic Bullet” by British Artist Issy Wood presented courtesy of Schinkel Pavillon der Gegenwart. Known for her distinctive style that alternates between realism and surrealism, this is her first large-scale solo exhibition in Germany.
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- “HERBST” by Ruprecht von Kaufmann at Haus am Lützowplatz will be the Berlin artist’s first exhibition in 10 years. He explores the links between the current socio-political scenario and that of the Weimar Republic a century ago.
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- “Dissonance” by Jordan Strafer is the artist’s first institutional solo exhibition in Germany. It’s based on her film trilogy, Loophole.
Group Shows
Global Fascisms, an exhibition and research project hosted in collaboration with a leading Berlin museum, presents new perspectives on the rise of fascist thinking through the work of around 50 international artists. The exhibits include painting, film, and performances that link history with the present. There are also other shows across venues such as Kunsthaus Dahlem and Haus der Kulturen der Welt.
Gallery Award Nominees
The exhibits at the young galleries nominated for the Gallery Award include Jesse Darling at Galerie Molitor, Eric Meier and Andrea Pichl at Mountains, and Sonja Yakovleva at Robert Grunenberg.
How To Get Tickets to the Berlin Art Week?
While some exhibitions and events are free to the public, others, such as a guided tour or an event at popular houses such as Haus am Lützowplatz and Haus der Kulturen der Welt, might require tickets and advance registration. It’s best to check the official Berlin Art Week website for the detailed programme, including hours of operation for specific venues, registration requirements, and admission prices.