Guide to Berlin Art Week 2025: Exploring the Vibrant Art Scene

Berlin Art Week Returns for Another Year of Artistic Exploration

From the 10th to the 14th of September, Berlin will once again play host to the annual Berlin Art Week. This city-wide art festival, now in its fifth year, offers visitors a week-long series of exhibition openings, tours, performances, and parties, attracting over 130,000 visitors.

The opening day kicks off on Wednesday, with major museums opening their doors. Following this, Gallery Night and Positions Berlin Art Fair in Tempelhof take centre stage on Thursday. For those seeking a more guided approach, Mona Stehle, the director of Berlin Art Week, recommends taking one of the Berlin Art Week bullet tours. These tours combine three, four, or even five stops into one guided route, providing a great mix of perspectives across the city's art scene.

Berlin Art Week unites commercial galleries, major art institutions, independent project spaces, and artist studios. This year, the programming reflects current economic and political instability, with themes of fascism and its dynamics running through many of the smaller programs.

One unique feature of this year's event is Discovering Collections, an initiative on Saturday that allows five private collectors to open their homes to the public. The Boros Collection, Fluentum, and the Kienzle Art Foundation are among the collections featured as part of Open Houses, allowing access without prior appointment.

Friday is Featured Night, focusing on Berlin's independent scene and special initiatives. This year, several nomadic initiatives, including Trauma taking over a former church and Passage staging projects at Hermannplatz U-Bahn and Funkhaus Berlin, will be highlights.

Saturday highlights private collections, and on Sunday, events take place across the city from Wilhelm Hallen in Reinickendorf to Fahrbereitschaft in Lichtenberg. Throughout the week, Berlin Art Week Garten at the Hamburger Bahnhof serves as a hub for information, meetings, and finding out what's happening during Berlin Art Week.

One of the most anticipated exhibitions of the week is the major group exhibition "Global Fascisms" at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, opening on September 13. This exhibition explores the aesthetic and political dynamics of fascism.

Berlin Art Week offers free access to many openings and special events, allowing visitors to explore the city's art scene without paying any entrance fees. With so much to see and do, Berlin Art Week is a must-visit for art enthusiasts and casual observers alike.