Soft Power Festival Debuts in Berlin with 100+ Artists, Curated by Anahita Sadighi and María Inés Plaza
The inaugural Soft Power festival, curated by Anahita Sadighi, was held at Haus der Visionäre in Berlin. Co-curated alongside María Inés Plaza, the event showcases over 100 artists through exhibitions, performances, discussions, communal meals, and a radio segment in collaboration with Refuge Worldwide. Sadighi reinterprets 'soft power' as a united creative response to authoritarianism. Designer Pierre Jorge Gonzalez highlights the importance of achieving significant impact with minimal effort. The festival aspires to become a biennial event, with its next iteration scheduled for 2028. In a conversation with Nisha Merit for Sleek magazine, Sadighi and Gonzalez explore the transformative power of art and the project's idealistic vision, representing a pivotal moment for Berlin's cultural scene.
Key facts
- Soft Power festival's first edition took place at Haus der Visionäre in Berlin.
- Anahita Sadighi conceived the festival and co-curated with María Inés Plaza.
- The curatorial structure follows a progression: Arriving, Listening, Remembering, Imagining, Coming Together, Hosting, Ritualising, Resonating, Celebrating, Becoming.
- Over 100 artists from visual art and music participated, along with thinkers and curators.
- The programme includes exhibitions, performances, music, conversations, shared meals, and radio.
- Radio content was developed with Refuge Worldwide.
- The festival is planned to become a biennial, with the next edition scheduled for 2028.
- Designer Pierre Jorge Gonzalez handled scenography and lighting, using transparent materials and natural north light.
Entities
Artists
- Anahita Sadighi
- María Inés Plaza
- Pierre Jorge Gonzalez
- Nisha Merit
- Hannes Aechter
- Johanna Erd
- Nikolas-Petros Androbik
- Lena Lauer
- Lilly Wetzel
- Amina Zerourou
- Lara Willmsen
Institutions
- Soft Power
- Haus der Visionäre
- Refuge Worldwide
- Sleek
- Burberry
- Louboutin
- Comme des Garçons
- Ferragamo
- Louis Vuitton
- Miu Miu
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- France