As part of Sp&auml;tschicht x Outreach Berlin, artist Karl Holmqvist gives a spoken word reading from his new book Berlin Trilogy PART 1.

The publication Berlin Trilogy PART 1 brings together Holmqvist’s reworkings of lyrics from David Bowie, Lou Reed and Nina Hagen among many others as a comment on the state of things in today’s world.Karl Holmqvist lives and works in Berlin. Recent solo exhibitions include Beau Travail, Stockholm, LAXART – today’s The Brick –, Los Angeles, Fridericianum, Kassel, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva, and Kunstverein Braunschweig – together with Klara Lidén. He has participated in several editions of the Venice Biennale and Performa biennial, New York City.

Gropius Bau

Gropius Bau 2025

Gropius Bau, Lichthof

Gropius Bau, Atrium

Karl Holmqvist

WALLS, WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR?

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Located in the centre of Berlin, the Gropius Bau is a lively place for encounters with art and each other. As an internationally renowned exhibition centre, it offers space for major exhibitions and performances by contemporary artists.

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The Gropius Bau is closed on Tuesdays.

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Events

Exhibitions & Projects

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Our newsletters keep you updated on current and upcoming exhibitions and events. Learn more about our kids programme and plan your next visit.

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The Performing Arts Season once again brings renowned international dance, theatre and performance productions to the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and the Gropius Bau. In this edition, the series focuses primarily on various concepts of identity.

Performing Arts Season

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This year, 53 ensembles from all over Germany applied for the Tanztreffen der Jugend. 8 young ensembles between contemporary and urban dance were chosen by the jury for the final selection. They will show their work at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele in autumn.

Tanztreffen der Jugend

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4 days, 27 acts, 120 international musicians: At Jazzfest Berlin, exceptional artists who have shaped the style of jazz history will share the stage with up-and-coming voices at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, A-Trane, Quasimodo and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Tickets are on sale now.

Jazzfest Berlin

More Berliner Festspiele

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Playing, laughing, making noise, letting off steam, doing nothing – all in an exhibition venue! With BAUBAU, the artist Kerstin Br&auml;tsch designed an&nbsp;admission-free play space for kids, where more is allowed than forbidden. On Gropius Bau’s ground floor, colourful wallpapers, structures, objects and open-ended material called “loose parts” configure flexible spaces that are shaped by children’s activities.

BAUBAU:A&nbsp;Play Space for Kids

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What has been the role of play in public space, both historically and in the present? Complementing BAUBAU, our free play space for kids, Gabriela Burkhalter’s&nbsp;Playing in the City&nbsp;presentation traces the history of playgrounds since their emergence in 1900 to today. The free presentation is open to all and can be seen in two rooms next to the play space’s entrance.

Playing in the City:A Short History from 1900 to the Present

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Widely regarded as one of the most original and influential artists of the 20th century, Diane Arbus’ bold black-and-white photographs demolish aesthetic conventions and upend all certainties. With&nbsp;Diane Arbus: Konstellationen, Gropius Bau presents the most comprehensive exhibition of her work to date. Featuring 454 prints, many of them shown here for the first time,&nbsp;Konstellationen&nbsp;offers new perspectives on Arbus’ iconic images and the wide range of her portraiture.

Diane Arbus: Konstellationen

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Ligia Lewis is a central figure in redefining performance within the context of the visual arts. In her multifaceted practice, she combines performance, live installation and film. From autumn 2025, Gropius Bau presents&nbsp;I’M NOT HERE FORRRRR…, the artist and choreographer’s most comprehensive solo exhibition to date. It brings together new and existing works that explore themes of race, gender, violence and resistance.

Ligia Lewis:I'M NOT HERE FORRRRR...

Current and Upcoming

Widely regarded as one of the most original and influential artists of the 20th century, Diane Arbus’ bold black-and-white photographs demolish aesthetic conventions and upend all certainties. With Diane Arbus: Konstellationen, Gropius Bau presents the most comprehensive exhibition of her work to date. Featuring 454 prints, many of them shown here for the first time, Konstellationen offers new perspectives on Arbus’ iconic images and the wide range of her portraiture.

Ligia Lewis is a central figure in redefining performance within the context of the visual arts. In her multifaceted practice, she combines performance, live installation and film. &nbsp;From autumn 2025, Gropius Bau presents I’M NOT HERE FORRRRR…, the artist and choreographer’s most comprehensive solo exhibition to date. It brings together new and existing works that explore themes of race, gender, violence and resistance.

Ligia Lewis: I’M NOT HERE FORRRRR…

Preview Autumn 2025

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The Practice – What Moves Artists

The Practice – What Moves Artists&nbsp;is a new book series by Gropius Bau that invites artists to showcase a practice that they pursue, that has influenced them or that has been with them for a long time. In the second volume of the series, artist, performer and author Vaginal Davis looks back on the saucy underground scenes of Los Angeles and Berlin together with former bandmates.&nbsp;On Dangerous Ground recounts past gigs, spectacular live performances and well-kept secrets.

Vaginal Davis: On Dangerous Ground

A Vibrant Place for Enganging with Art and Each Other

Located in the centre of Berlin, Gropius Bau is an internationally renowned institution that stages large-scale exhibitions and performances by contemporary artists. Its diverse events focus on exchange and discussion, bringing together local and global perspectives.

About Gropius Bau

We are looking forward to welcoming you back in mid-March with the reopening of our play space, <a href="${link:{uuid:{df42e57d-a14a-4b44-a5e4-9d3e7dcab5a6},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/gropius-bau/programm/baubau}}}">BAUBAU</a> (on 22 March), and two exhibitions, <a href="${link:{uuid:{55d64239-53fe-4b12-8567-a63191c6cae4},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/gropius-bau/programm/2025/ausstellungen/vaginal-davis}}}">Vaginal Davis: Fabelhaftes Produkt</a> (from 21 March) and <a href="${link:{uuid:{9618c701-bd05-432e-b688-5943e1f7fc57},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/gropius-bau/programm/2025/ausstellungen/yoko-ono}}}">YOKO ONO: MUSIC OF THE MIND</a> (from 11 April). For details on opening hours and tickets, please visit our <a href="${link:{uuid:{62c3018b-bb40-46ce-8019-646ec5cd2e4a},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/gropius-bau/besuch/informationen}}}">Information &amp; Tickets</a> page. We look forward to seeing you soon!

See you in March!

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With Aysun Bademsoy, Eunice Beckmann, Candeece, DJ ADG, Karl Holmqvist, Nana Kreuzberg and Giuseppe Moi – Free Admission

Sp&auml;tschicht x Outreach Berlin

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BAUBAU

Spielen in der Stadt

Playing in the City

Currently at Gropius Bau

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Located in the centre of Berlin, the Gropius Bau is a lively place to encounter art and each other. The internationally renowned institution stages large-scale exhibitions and performances by contemporary artists.

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Festivals & Programme Series

2025

Veranstaltungen 2025

For the fourth event in our Sp&auml;tschicht series, Gropius Bau and Outreach Berlin invite you to a free live programme at Gropius Bau.

After three open-air summer editions, our event series Sp&auml;tschicht is moving into Gropius Bau&rsquo;s historic atrium. For this edition, we&rsquo;ve teamed up with Outreach Berlin, an organisation for mobile youth work, and are dedicating the evening entirely to football.&nbsp;Look forward to a spoken word reading, a screening, a football tournament and many live acts.&nbsp;

Spätschicht x Outreach Berlin

As part of Sp&auml;tschicht x Outreach Berlin, artist Karl Holmqvist gives a spoken word reading from his new book Berlin Trilogy PART 1.

The publication Berlin Trilogy PART 1 brings together Holmqvist&rsquo;s reworkings of lyrics from David Bowie, Lou Reed and Nina Hagen among many others as a comment on the state of things in today&rsquo;s world.

Karl Holmqvist lives and works in Berlin. Recent solo exhibitions include Beau Travail, Stockholm, LAXART &ndash; today&rsquo;s The Brick &ndash;, Los Angeles, Fridericianum, Kassel, Centre d&rsquo;Art Contemporain, Geneva, and Kunstverein Braunschweig &ndash; together with Klara Lid&eacute;n. He has participated in several editions of the Venice Biennale and Performa biennial, New York City.

Spätschicht x Outreach

Events 2025

Programm

Programme

The Berliner Festspiele organise a range of festivals and art exhibitions, concerts, dance and theatre performances, readings, lectures, debates and much more throughout the year. These events are presented at a range of locations across Berlin but are concentrated primarily at their own two venues: the Gropius Bau and the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

Berliner Festspiele

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furtherInformation

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You can listen to some of our events this year digitally in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library after the live concerts.&nbsp;In addition, On Demand offers from past years are available.

Musikfest Berlin in the Media Library

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The international Jazzfest Research Lab&nbsp;welcomes academics and students to take a critical look at the festival’s archive, its programmes, creators, musicians and – last but not least – its myths. In two seminars during the summer semester of 2024, students from the Berlin University of the Arts and the University of Hildesheim have explored the festival’s history from various perspectives. In this film, the participants give a first look at how they dealt with their research subject.

Introducing: Jazzfest Research Lab

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To mark its 60th anniversary, Jazzfest Berlin is celebrating the cultural diversity of the neighbouring district of Moabit in collaboration with around 35 official partners and initiatives and with over 350 participants of all ages.&nbsp;In June 2024, interviews were conducted with 20 partners who presented their perspectives, wishes and ideas for the Jazzfest Community Lab Moabit. You can get a first impression with this film.

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Curated by&nbsp;Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema&nbsp;

From 13 to 16 June 2024, the interdisciplinary themed days “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” on the Israel-Palestine conflict and its consequences for society in Germany took place at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. You can now find video and audio recordings of the discourse events in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library!

Reflexes &amp; Reflections. 7 October, the war in Gaza and the debate in Germany

In the Media Library

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The 10 Remarkable Productions 2024

On 26 January, the Theatertreffen’s jury of critics announced their selection of 10 remarkable productions for the 2024 Theatertreffen at a press conference. Our congratulations go to the nominated production teams and all participants! The programme will be published on 5 April.

Theatertreffen 2024

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The massacre, hostage-taking and rocket attacks by Hamas have shaken us deeply. The grue-some attack on Israel on 7&nbsp;October left us stunned and initially lost for words.

The Berliner Festspiele on Current Events in Israel, Gaza and Germany

With this letter of intent, we, the signing cultural organizations, express our intention to welcome, host and stage Ukrainian theatre artists in our venues, to make Ukrainian dramatic work visible to the European community.

Support of the Ukrainian Cultural Scene

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From October 2025 to January 2026, the Performing Arts Season will present outstanding international productions from the fields of dance, theatre and performance at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and the Gropius Bau. The programme schedule is online, advance ticket sale is on. The current edition focuses on the fragility and dynamics of identity, especially in times of social change and marginalization.

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This year’s Jazzfest Berlin is welcoming 120&nbsp;international musicians from more than 20&nbsp;countries to Berlin, spanning an artistically diverse range, from free improvisation to hip-hop and noise, from lyrical and melancholic tones to distorted guitar sounds and stuttering beats, and from introverted solo sets to thundering large ensembles.&nbsp;The programme has been published and advance ticket sales are on.

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Young musical talents from all over Germany have applied for the Treffen junge Musikszene competition. The&nbsp;expert jury&nbsp;has now made its selection from the entries! The programme schedule will be published on 14 October.

Treffen junge Musikszene

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Young talents from all over Germany have applied for the Treffen junger Autor*innen competition. The&nbsp;expert jury&nbsp;has now made its selection from the entries! The programme schedule will be published on 14 October.

Treffen junger Autor*innen

Upcoming

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<h3>Theatertreffen</h3><h4>2 to 20 May 2024</h4>The 10&nbsp;remarkable productions, selected by a jury of critics, were announced in a press conference on 26&nbsp;January 2024, 11:00. The programme will be published on 5&nbsp;April, advance ticket sales will start on 19&nbsp;April at 14:00

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William Kentridge

The Great Yes, The Great No

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The Berlinale as a guest at Haus der Berliner Festspiele

75th Berlin International Film Festival

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as a guest at Haus der Berliner Festspiele

25th international literature festival berlin

Widely regarded as one of the most original and influential artists of the 20th&nbsp;century, Diane Arbus’ bold black-and-white photographs demolish aesthetic conventions and upend all certainties. With Diane Arbus: Konstellationen, Gropius Bau presents the most comprehensive exhibition of her work to date. Featuring 454&nbsp;prints, many of them shown here for the first time, Konstellationen offers new perspectives on Arbus’ iconic images and the wide range of her portraiture.

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Marking twenty years since artist, writer and performer Vaginal Davis made Berlin her home, Gropius Bau presents the first comprehensive solo exhibition of her work in Germany. In her expansive oeuvre, punk meets glamour, queer activism meets Black counter-culture and resistance meets desire. Fabelhaftes Produkt offers an overview of Davis’ practice and artistic collaborations.

Vaginal Davis:&nbsp;Fabelhaftes Produkt

A Play Space for Kids

Current and Upcoming Exhibitions at the Gropius&nbsp;Bau