transmediale RFC 40 2027 – Media Art Festival in Berlin

Welcome to the transmediale RFC 40 2027 in Berlin

transmediale RFC 40 marks the 40th anniversary of Berlin’s festival for media art, technology and digital culture. From 28 to 31 January 2027 the festival programme groundstates takes place at silent green Kulturquartier; the exhibition fragile currents runs at the Akademie der Künste (Hanseatenweg) from 28 January to 7 March 2027. The festival is curated by Barbara Cueto; the exhibition by Antonina Stebur.

Highlights & Attractions at transmediale RFC 40 in Berlin

• 40th-anniversary edition: festival and exhibition under the shared frame RFC 40, inspired by a 1970 internet protocol document from the early ARPANET era.
• Festival groundstates (28–31 January 2027) at silent green Kulturquartier: discursive and performative programme on alternative technological futures and the human scale of technology.
• Exhibition fragile currents (28 January – 7 March 2027) at Akademie der Künste Hanseatenweg: sixteen artists and collectives addressing infrastructure, dependency and fragility.
• Keynote conversations including Hito Steyerl, Primavera De Filippi, Ryan Bishop, and Marek Poliks with Roberto Alonso Trillo.
• Side formats such as the School of Algorithmic Solidarity (eeefff) working with the festival archive, plus co-productions including a performance by Tianzhuo Chen at HAU.
• Vorspiel partner programme with Berlin project spaces and independent initiatives around the main festival.
• Free opening nights: exhibition opening on 27 January at Akademie der Künste and festival opening on 28 January at silent green.

Program & Schedule: What to Expect in 2027

Official outline: Marshall McLuhan Lecture on 26 January at the Embassy of Canada; exhibition opening on 27 January at Akademie der Künste; festival opening on 28 January at silent green; festival days 29–31 January at silent green. The exhibition fragile currents then continues until 7 March 2027. Exact daily opening hours will be announced closer to the event.

Under groundstates, curator Barbara Cueto frames a decentralised programme that starts from a multiplicity of possible “internets” and resists a single technological future narrative. fragile currents (curator Antonina Stebur) treats infrastructural breakdown not as pure collapse but as a condition from which other forms of organisation can emerge. Expect talks, screenings, performances, workshops, Lattice Labs and residency-related formats. The full day-by-day schedule is published step by step on the official website.

Tickets & Admission for transmediale RFC 40 Berlin

Festival and connect passes are on sale via the official ticket page. For festival days 29–31 January 2027 a flexible, trust-based pricing system applies (all figures in euro): Supporter 140 euro, Standard 115 euro, Reduced 90 euro, Concession 65 euro (including students, unemployed people, pensioners and anyone with limited means). All tiers grant the same access. Openings on 27 and 28 January are free of charge according to the organisers. Online tickets must be exchanged on site for a physical pass and wristband. After 31 January a separate ticket is required for the exhibition. Always check the official ticket page for current prices and availability.

Visitor Tips: Travel & Accommodation in Berlin

• Getting there: silent green Kulturquartier, Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin (Wedding) – reachable by U-Bahn (e.g. U6 Seestrasse / U9 Nauener Platz) and S-Bahn; Akademie der Künste at Hanseatenweg 10, 10557 Berlin (Tiergarten) by U-Bahn and bus. Exact venue hours will be published closer to the festival.
• Weather and clothing: Late January in Berlin is typically cold (often around 0 °C or below), with possible snow or rain. Pack warm, weatherproof layers and comfortable shoes for moving between venues.
• Where to stay: Wedding suits silent green; Mitte/Tiergarten suit the Akademie der Künste. January is quieter than summer, but book early if CTM and other parallel programmes overlap.
• Passes and access: Online tickets alone do not grant entry – exchange them at a pass counter on site. Lost passes are not replaced; resale only via channels the organiser names.
• Watch the programme: Workshops, the HAU performance and other special formats may sit outside the standard festival pass. Use only the official website for final schedules and accreditation.