Festival focus shifts to Chemnitz Kraftwerk, formerly the Kessel, as a popular attraction.
The Begehungen Art Festival, a renowned contemporary art event based in Chemnitz, Germany, is set to make a significant impact this year. As part of Chemnitz's designation as a European Capital of Culture, the festival will run from July 18 to August 17, 2025, at the decommissioned brown coal heating and power plant Nord.
This year's edition, titled "Everything is Interaction," is the largest in the festival's 22-year history. Curated by Claudia Tittel, the festival will address pressing global issues such as resource consumption, species extinction, and the climate crisis, while offering a platform for new, forward-looking discourse, creative exchange, and social reflection.
The festival will feature 32 international artistic perspectives, including installations, photography, drawings, sculptures, video, and sound art. A significant portion of the exhibition will be site-specific works created especially for the festival, incorporating the history and architecture of the location.
The festival is committed to supporting young artists under 30, providing an open call and residency programs as direct platforms for emerging creative talents. Participation is remunerated, and travel and accommodation expenses are covered where necessary, underscoring the festival's investment in artists and inclusive participation.
The festival prides itself on being inclusive and accessible, with free admission and efforts to accommodate people with disabilities. Notable artists participating include Gregor Schneider, Henrike Naumann, Rikuo Ueda, and Olaf Nicolai, among others.
In addition to the exhibition, Begehungen 2025 offers an extensive supporting program with concerts, readings, performances, theater, and film. The festival's decommissioned power plant site will serve as a stage for these events, making for a unique and immersive experience.
eins energy, the owner of the area, is a partner of the festival, contributing to the event's success. Admission to the festival is free, making it accessible to all.
Begehungen 2025 is more than just an art exhibition; it is a beacon of cultural engagement with urgent global issues, embedded in the unique setting of a post-industrial site. The festival is a significant contribution to open engagement with climate change and a testament to Chemnitz's role as European Capital of Culture.
The Begehungen 2025 festival, beyond being an art exhibition, will also encompass a home-and-garden focus, with site-specific works creatively integrating the history and architecture of the Nord power plant. Visitors can expect to engage with installations, photography, and sculptures that reflect on pressing issues such as resource consumption, species extinction, and the climate crisis, thereby encouraging a lifestyle of thoughtful consumption and environmental consciousness.
