FREIE KUNST

Pina Bausch Zentrum under construction, Bundesallee 260, Wuppertal

Following the first Paris edition of the REFERENCE FESTIVAL, the collaboration will continue in Wuppertal on 28 November 2026.

From 20 to 25 October 2026, the REFERENCE FESTIVAL took place in Paris for the first time under the title FREIE KUNST. Founded in Berlin in 2019 by Mumi Haiati, the festival brings together artists, musicians, and cultural practitioners from a wide range of disciplines. At its core are questions of artistic freedom, collaboration, and the conditions that shape contemporary artistic production.

Taking place during Art Basel Paris, the program featured talks, performances, film screenings, and installations at various locations across the city, including the Institut du Monde Arabe, Club Silencio, and Dover Street Market Paris.

The Pina Bausch Zentrum under construction was a collaborating partner of the festival. Bettina Milz, Artistic Coordinator and Head of the Preparatory Phase of the Pina Bausch Zentrum, participated in two public conversations. On 23 October, she spoke with Chris Dercon, Director of the Fondation Cartier, at Silencio about the development and sustainability of cultural institutions. The discussion focused on the relationships between institutions and different communities, as well as their responsibilities towards future generations and artistic disciplines.

On 25 October, the final day of the festival, Bettina Milz joined musician and performance artist FKA twigs and her creative director Jordan Hemingway for a conversation at the Institut du Monde Arabe. Following a public screening of Body High, FKA twigs’ documentary film produced by ARTE, they discussed artistic collaboration and the intersections of music, dance, performance, and film. The festival programme also featured contributions by Klaus Biesenbach, Monica Bonvicini, Miles Greenberg, Eartheater, Richie Hawtin, and John Gerrard.

The collaboration reflects a shared interest in exploring the conditions under which artistic freedom can emerge and be sustained. It also creates opportunities for dialogue about how institutions can provide spaces for contemporary culture and foster encounters across different disciplines and audiences.

The REFERENCE FESTIVAL brings together talks, performances, exhibitions, film, and music. Its interdisciplinary format provides a framework for discussing artistic freedom beyond institutional and disciplinary boundaries.

On 28 November 2026, the REFERENCE FESTIVAL and the Pina Bausch Zentrum under construction will continue their collaboration in Wuppertal. The jointly organised event will build on the theme of FREIE KUNST.

About the REFERENCE FESTIVAL

The REFERENCE FESTIVAL was founded in 2019 in Berlin-Neukölln by Mumi Haiati, founder of Reference Studios. It serves as an international platform for exchange across art, music, fashion, performance, technology, and other disciplines.

The 2026 edition was shaped in collaboration with a curatorial committee comprising Marc Spiegler, Victoria Camblin, and Nicholas Korody. FREIE KUNST was supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises.