The summer period has already reached its end, but the coming months promise to be an exciting celebration of creativity on the European scene – from interesting art exhibitions to cutting-edge design shows and captivating film festivals.
In this article, we embark on a curated journey through seven exceptional festivals that are set to define the artistic landscape in the final months of 2023. From the already well-established Vienna Design Week delving into design’s role in sustainability, to the visionary Open House Festival unlocking the wonders of architecture, each event offers a chance to celebrate the diverse spectrum of artistic expression.
London Design Festival
16–24 September 2023
London, UK
Since its 2003 inception by Sir John Sorrell CBE and Ben Evans CBE, the London Design Festival has spotlighted the city’s design brilliance. This annual event draws top minds, practitioners, and educators, fostering an unmissable celebration of design. The festival’s vision endures two decades on.
In 2019, it attracted a record 600,000 visitors from 75+ countries. Having celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022, the Festival enters a new decade, reflecting on its role in elevating London’s design status. It bolsters business, culture, and tourism while enhancing the UK’s creative reputation. As a premier global design event, the Festival’s influence extends worldwide, serving as a model for design weeks. Each year, it remains a pivotal cultural moment, underscoring London’s lasting design legacy and international impact.
Prague Art Week
21–24 September 2023
Prague, Czech Republic
This annual festival is dedicated to uniting galleries, museums, exhibition halls, art collections, and art-centric organizations. Its ultimate vision is to propel Prague into the global art spotlight, bolstering the international presence of Czech art.
Prepare for the upcoming PRAGUE ART WEEK 23 scheduled for 21– 24 September 2023. This edition will showcase the finest offerings from Prague’s premier art institutions. The festival’s agenda will be complemented by an enriching program tailored for professionals, featuring lectures, masterclasses, and thematic discussions graced by esteemed local and international luminaries.
Open House Festival
6–17 September 2023
London, UK
For a limited time each September, London’s architectural gems, typically off-limits, welcome visitors. This year, the Open House Festival spans two weekends: 9–10 and 16–17 September. Experience a two-week celebration of London’s homes, architecture, and neighbourhoods. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, this festival satisfies our curiosity about the spaces we encounter daily.
Led by devoted Londoners, the festival showcases structures owned, worked in, or cherished by the community, alongside a team of over 500 volunteers. Explore the programme, book tours, or choose drop-in events through the festival’s website.
Paris+ par Art Basel
19–22 October 2023
Paris, France
In October 2023, the Grand Palais Éphémère will host an exquisite fusion of galleries from France and all over the world for the second time.
This distinguished art fair unfolds across two dynamic sectors, each a testament to creativity’s boundless evolution. Galeries takes the spotlight, showcasing modern and contemporary art in forms ranging from paintings, sculptures, installations, to digital marvels. Meanwhile, Galeries Émergentes, in collaboration with Galeries Lafayette, spotlights emerging talents through engaging solo presentations.
Vienna Design Week 2023
22 September – 1 October 2023
Vienna, Austria
VIENNA DESIGN WEEK is Austria’s premier, thoughtfully curated multidisciplinary design festival. Beyond aesthetics, it explores how design shapes urban and global coexistence. Since 2007, it’s been a cornerstone of Vienna’s design scene, hosting around 200 events and attracting 40,000 attendees annually.
The festival delves into design’s role in sustainability and meaningful connections. Over ten days, it spans diverse fields like product, graphic, and industrial design, architecture, crafts, social design, and digital innovation. It believes that conscious, visionary design combined with an informed public can create a better world.
Each edition transforms Vienna, highlighting different locales, focus districts, and guest countries. It’s about embracing local nuances, fostering connections, and shaping a global design community.
PhEST 2023
1 September – 1 November 2023
Monopoli, Italy
PhEST is a vibrant mix of photography, cinema, music, and art inspired by the Mediterranean. It celebrates diverse identities within the “sea within the lands”, weaving new narratives. Instead of erasing Mediterranean-induced distinctions, PhEST embraces them, bridging the gap between reality and representation.
With an unwavering commitment to evolution, PhEST redefines and reviews amidst a world seeking fresh perspectives. From Monopoli and Puglia, PhEST’s focus stretches across the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.
Dynamic photography fuels this transformation, shaped not only by artists but also by market, technology, and users. As photography shifts, PhEST offers a haven for exploring a rapidly changing universe, where fiction and reality intertwine.
PhMuseum Days 2023
22 September – 1 October 2023
Bologna, Italy
The third edition of the PhMuseum International Photo Festival centers around the theme “I Don’t Know How To Respond To That”, a phrase commonly echoed by virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri when faced with our unanswerable queries. The focal point of this edition is the exploration of the intricate interplay between humans and machines, shedding light on the expansive evolution of language.
The captivating setting for this occasion is DumBO’s Spazio Bianco, an expansive 1600 m2 post-industrial pavilion nestled in the heart of Bologna. Here, visitors will immerse themselves in exhibitions, presentations, and a dedicated space showcasing photographic publications.
