"Exploring Art and Culture Professionally - Here Are the Most Motivating Cultural Events Worth Experiencing This Year, According to My List"
In 2025, a dazzling array of cultural events awaits those with a passion for art, design, and architecture. From Europe, the US, and the Middle East, these exhibitions, festivals, and conferences promise an immersive exploration into the world of creativity and innovation.
Europe
The year kicks off in Venice, Italy, with the 19th edition of the Biennale Architettura, themed "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective." Running from May 10 to November 23, this event will delve into the role of architecture as part of an extended sphere that integrates various disciplines, from art and engineering to biology, data science, and social sciences. The Biennale Architettura 2025 will also feature Biennale College Architettura, an exhibition dedicated to the work of students, graduate students, and emerging practitioners under 30.
London will be a hub for design enthusiasts, with the London Design Festival (Sep 13–21) celebrating creative work and connecting designers with the public. Design Miami.Paris (Oct 22–26) will present rare and historic contemporary design in an 18th-century mansion, while Dubai Design Week (Nov 4–9) will showcase global and regional architecture and design in the Middle East.
The United States
In the US, major exhibitions include Ruth Asawa: Retrospective at SFMOMA and Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco (spring to late summer dates). New York City will host numerous gallery exhibitions during the fall, including the US debut of Serra's 1992 large-scale sculpture and a landmark exhibition merging Magritte with Lalanne’s visionary works (Sept to Dec).
Design and Architecture Conferences
For those seeking to delve deeper into the world of design, conferences like Forward Festival Berlin (Aug 28–29), World Design Congress in London (Sept 9–10), and various design conferences in cities such as Melbourne, Berlin, Budapest, Chicago, and Detroit offer opportunities to learn from over 40 international speakers.
Global Events
Art Basel 2025, taking place in Basel, Switzerland, from June 16 to June 22, will reunite over 200 pioneering galleries from five continents for a total of more than 4,000 spotlighted artists. The fair will also see more than 260 affluent dealers flock to the city from some 20 countries. Concurrently, Photo Basel will chart the latest innovations in photographic art.
Meanwhile, Frieze Los Angeles 2025 will take place at Santa Monica Airport from February 20 to 23. The event will coincide with the acclaimed furniture fair Salone del Mobile and Fuorisalone in Milan, Italy, from April 6 to 13.
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan will take place from April 13 to October 13, engaging with questions similar to those at the core of the Biennale Architettura 2025 and focusing on the built environment and the disciplines that shape it. The Biennale Architettura 2025 will prompt visitors to reflect on the implications of human anthropization and search for innovative ways of defusing the environmental emergency.
The 20th-anniversary edition of Modernism Week will take place in Palm Springs, California, from February 13 to 23. The Setouchi Triennale, a contemporary art festival held every three years on the 11 islands of the Seto Inland Sea, will take place from April 18 to November 9.
The 30th edition of Liste Art Fair Basel will take place concurrently with Art Basel 2025, from June 16 to June 22, 2025. TEFAF Maastricht's 2025 edition will take place in the South Netherlands city from March 15 to 20.
In addition, some unique residential properties, such as the Albert Frey-designed West House, The Sackley Chase Sensation, and The Goldberg residence, will open their doors to the public this year.
These events collectively offer strong opportunities for enthusiasts to engage with cutting-edge design, fine art, historic painting, and architecture through exhibitions, fairs, and conferences globally. The London Design Festival, Design Miami.Paris, and Dubai Design Week are especially prominent hubs for international design and architecture trends. Meanwhile, art followers should note the major museum exhibitions in London, Paris, San Francisco, and New York across the year.
- The London Design Festival, taking place September 13–21, will showcase the latest trends in furniture and art, while also connecting designers with the public.
- Art Basel 2025, held in Basel, Switzerland, from June 16 to June 22, will feature exhibitions from artists across five continents, offering an opportunity to connect with contemporary art and architecture.
- For those interested in the intersection of art, design, and lifestyle, the Biennale Architettura 2025 in Venice, Italy, will explore the role of architecture in various disciplines, including art, engineering, biology, data science, and social sciences.
