For the third edition of Berlin’s beloved Reference Festival, the crafty creatives behind the event have partnered with Schinkel Pavilion to explore the theme of ‘Protopia’ and the ever-changing potential of Berlin’s iconic architectural spaces. On the 8th & 12th of September, Reference Festival will breathe new life into the previously abandoned Bierpinsel, one of West Berlin’s ultimate architectural landmarks, opening its doors to a new generation of Berliners for the first time in a decade. 

Reference Festival is a place to showcase innovative projects from an array of interdisciplinary creative arts, all united under the umbrella of ‘Protopia’. With a particular focus on the fashion industry, this years schedule will explore the space between ‘utopia and ‘dystopia’ to reimagine the often polarised view of our future. A ‘Protopian’ approach seeks to break the boundaries between these two spaces and instead explore the possibilities of a world with no ‘singular future’ and instead imagine a future with a vast scope of many alternative realities that are constantly being shaped by our action and inaction.