OFFF Barcelona: the international showcase for creative talent

Foto: Offf 2023, Chris Milne, Santi Puig

Renowned for its vibrant cultural scene, Barcelona is currently hosting the OFFF festival, one of the most exciting events for lovers of digital art, design, and creativity. This annual event, which has now been part of the Barcelona cultural landscape for over a decade, is a celebration of innovation and artistic expression

The 24th OFFF Barcelona, International Festival of Creativity, Art and Digital Design will be held from April 4 to 6 at the Disseny Hub, Barcelona, turning the city into a magnet for established and emerging talent in the creative industries. This year’s show is expected to host more than 70 local and international speakers, who will share their experience in the field of design.

Launched in 2000, the international festival promotes the creative industries, showcasing trends in the design, art, and (post)-digital culture.

For three intense days, the event brings together designers, artists, developers, filmmakers and visionaries from around the world to share ideas, inspire each other, and explore the limits of creativity. With the participation of renowned artists such as art director Stefan Sagmeister, and illustrator Ben Tallon, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of talks, workshops, and exhibitions by experts from different sectors.

Unmissable opportunities

Enjoying the support of the Catalan government, the Barcelona town council, Disseny Hub Barcelona, and other sponsors and collaborators, this year’s festival is crammed with innovative projects and packed with conferences, workshops, masterclasses, and other activities led by experts in the sector from around the world. What makes the OFFF Festival truly special is its multidisciplinary approach.

The festival kicks off with the screening of a film made by Studio Mals & Setreset Films. And there will be sessions by creative coach Marko Pfann and digital artists such as Joshua Davis and Stephy Fung. Muralist Timothy Goodman will also be painting live in an event that will be set to music.

And in the digital era, what could be better than to discover Adobe's, latest functions in a series of free masterclasses demonstrating the way in which artificial intelligence has been incorporated on their Photoshop, Illustrator and Premier platforms.

Lastly, for those who wish to become completely immersed in Barcelona, a must do this year is the Mirador Torre de Glòries in which visitors can enjoy the skyline and the 360º observatory. of the city.

To see the full list of activities, click here.

Young talent: “The Next of Us”

Talent is part of the DNA of the city, so this year OFFF is presenting "The Next of Us", a project that aims to put the design professionals of the future firmly on the map. The initiative enables emerging talents from Barcelona’s design schools—BAU, Elisava, IED, and ESDI—to present their projects and creations to a global audience.

Disseny Hub Barcelona has inaugurated a new space for this purpose called CUB, where a selection of student work will be exhibited, and where all students will be able to take part in sessions with professionals from the sector.

Beyond Barcelona

The impact of the OFFF Festival in Barcelona extends well beyond the festival itself. During the event, the city will be a hive of creative energy, with streets filled with visitors from around the world exploring its museums, galleries and cultural facilities, confirming Barcelona’s position as a global center for creativity and creative industry professionals.

With new shows due to open later this year in Vienna (June 14-15), Mexico City (September 6-7), Montreal (September 9-10), and Seville (November 28-30), the festival’s international program makes it clear that the festival transcends all borders.