We’ve got some spooky stuff for Halloween, Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst at KW, Jazzfest and more!

The KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin presents Starmirror, a groundbreaking exhibition and live program by artists and technologists Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst. Transforming the exhibition spaces into experimental studios, Starmirror invites the public to co-create with AI through weekly vocal recording sessions, forming a collective dataset that trains an evolving “AI Berlin Choir.” Drawing on Hildegard von Bingen’s 12th-century morality play Ordo Virtutum, the project explores the parallels between communal singing and the collective intelligence of AI.

Marking its return to the Neue Nationalgalerie a decade after its debut, the Festival of Future Nows (31 Oct–2 Nov 2025) transforms Mies van der Rohe’s iconic building into a living laboratory for art, thought, and collective imagination. Founded by Olafur Eliasson and the Institut für Raumexperimente in 2014, the festival’s third edition gathers around 100 international artists for performances, workshops, sound works, and participatory projects exploring social and ecological futures. A standout installation, Fabian Knecht’s Laughing Is Suspicious, will drape the museum’s southeast façade with a sixty-meter net woven from Ukrainian civilians’ textiles, symbolizing resilience and cooperation amid destruction.

Quantum Galerie presents Uncanny Valley, an exhibition by Jonathan Esperester. Esperester’s work moves from mystical pasts to the digital present, fusing both the human psyche and imagination with the emerging aesthetics of the AI age. His works explore the tension between illusion and technology.

This night, Berlin opens the gates to its darkest parallel world: the AQUAHÖFE transform into a House of Horror, a surreal labyrinth for creatures, masked figures, and nocturnal souls. Enter the secret horror dungeon, encounter freaky performances, bizarre shows, and immersive scenes that blur the line between dream and nightmare. Expect stunning visuals, a welcome surprise for all in costume, and prizes for the most spectacular outfits.

Celebrating its 62nd year, Jazzfest Berlin—the grand finale of the Berliner Festspiele’s cultural calendar—returns from October 30 to November 2, 2025, uniting over 120 musicians across the city under the theme “Where Will You Run When the World's on Fire?”. One of Europe’s oldest and most vibrant jazz festivals, it offers four days of boundary-pushing performances from artists like Amirtha Kidambi, David Murray Quartet, Marc Ribot, and Patricia Brennan Septet.

It's not so easy to find something spooky to do on Halloween that isn't either for kids or a big clubbing experience. But Monkey Bar is coming through with a spooky themed event that's just right for adults, with music by Soulspy.

Berlin institution opens its first Prenzlauer Berg pop-up location this weekend. Head up to Pankow on Sunday to grab your welcome coffee for just 1€.

Monu has made a name for itself as a chill, all-day hanggout location in Kreuzberg. But this week, they launch their first chef takeover series. The menu features salmon tataki, roasted Hokkaido squash and freshly baked focaccia, all courtesy of South African-born chef Tracey Jane Harker. Send them a DM here for reservations.

Celebrate one of Mexico's most important folk traditions, the Day of the Dead, at the Humboldt Forum this weekend. According to old Mexican beliefs, the dead return to the world of the living on Día de Muertos (All Saints' Day). Over three days, you can celebrate a joyful reunion with a diverse line-up of programming, including children's activities.

On Saturday, head to the Taschen bookstore for a presentation of a new book by André Butzer. Butzer has chosen 47 poems by Friedrich Hölderlin about the four seasons presented alongside 40 accompanying watercolors.

The 2025 Berlin Science Week Programme kicks off this week, featuring over 300 events that shine a light on science and research in Berlin. Join conversations with experts, workshops, and performances, all aimed at discovering more about how science shapes the world around us.

Want to volunteer, co-organize, or design race-day tees? We’re looking for help across logistics, hydration stations, and media.