Berlin Atonal 2025 Expands Beyond Music Festival into Biennale Amid City's Cultural Crisis

Berlin Atonal, originally founded in 1982 and reestablished in 2013, made its first appearance in the biennale circuit this year at the Kraftwerk complex by joining the International Biennial Association. The festival spanned five nights and featured 95 DJs, musicians, artists, and filmmakers, with club events lasting until 7am. In response to a 12% reduction in cultural funding and venue closures due to increasing rents, the programming broadened to encompass interdisciplinary art and film. Highlights included performances by Malibu, NYX, and Ego Death. A listening room from PAN records presented works by Cyprien Gaillard and others, while films by Basma Al-Sharif were screened alongside installations such as Joanna Rajkowska's Emergency Light and a subtle intervention by Tot Onyx and Mattia Bertolo.