From Seeing and Being Seen — 30 Years Karneval der Kulturen

30 Years Karneval — and a Critical Look at It

The Karneval der Kulturen celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026. Instead of just cheering, the Kunstquartier Bethanien in Kreuzberg invites you to a reflective accompanying exhibition: "Vom Sehen und Gesehenwerden — 30 Jahre Karneval der Kulturen". 14 artists present works in Studio 1 that do not romanticize the phenomenon of Carnival, but understand it as an ambivalent space — a stage for liberation and humor, but also a space for stereotypes, exoticizing gazes, and commercial appropriation.

Studio 1 — the discursive sibling of the street festival

While the actual Karneval der Kulturen takes place from May 22nd to 25th, 2026 around Blücherplatz in Kreuzberg, the exhibition at Bethanien offers an indoor counterpart — a place for looking, reading, and discussing. For years, Studio 1 has been one of the most important spaces for intercultural, queer, and post-colonial discourse in Berlin; the exhibition fits the house's DNA.

Program Points

• May 13–26, 2026 — Exhibition "Vom Sehen und Gesehenwerden"
• May 17, 2026 — "Come As You Are: A Day of Open Practices" with a workshop by Edmundo Torres, a curator's tour by Juana Awad, and an open forum
• Mon–Fri 2:00 PM–8:00 PM, Sat–Sun 12:00 PM–8:00 PM
• Free admission

Carnival, Migration, Berlin

The Karneval der Kulturen was founded in 1996 in response to the xenophobic attacks of the early 1990s. From an intercultural demonstration, it has become Berlin's largest volunteer-organized street festival within a generation — with a Pentecost parade, open-air stages at Blücherplatz, and several hundred thousand visitors. The exhibition at Bethanien asks what 30 years of Carnival have done to Berlin — and vice versa.