Berlin’s Future of Festivals conference reveals agenda

Germany’s Future of Festivals conference will return to ARENA Berlin for a third time, uniting organisers, service providers, associations, decision-makers and trainees from the festival sector.

Taking place on 24 and 25 November, participants can expect panel discussions, keynotes, masterclasses and over 200 exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations and sustainable products for the next festival season.

The 2023 edition will feature over 100 speakers including Steven Raspa (co-founder of the Burning Man Festival), Sarah Mackenzie (creative director of the MUTEK Festival in Montreal), Kristine Barenholdt (head of the circular Lab at the Roskilde Festival) and Holger Hübner (founder of Wacken Open Air).

Panels will address topics such as the impact of weather on festivals, the role of AI in organising events and the ramifications of the surge in touring

Panels will address topics such as the impact of weather on festivals (Forest Fire Level 5), the role of AI in organising events (Rave, Rock, Robots: AI and the Future of Festivals), and the ramifications of the surge in touring (Is the touring boom hurting festivals?).

This year’s instalment will also premiere a new stage at the Festival Campus, funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, which will feature sessions on self-employment, the creation of new training professions, solutions to the prevailing shortage of skilled workers and challenges with young talent.

Other speakers include Yvonne Heckl (VMS/Oktoberfest), Oliver Vordemvenne (I Motion), Jonas Niersmann (Parookaville), Inga Jacobsen (Zurück zu Den Wurzeln Festival), Tobias Zwiebel (Full Force Festival), Hanna Mauksch (Lollapalooza) and Jonas Rhode (M’era Luna Festival/ FKP Scorpio).

For more information and tickets, visit: www.futureoffestivals.com

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