EDITION 2025
LINES / BORDERS
Lines are ambiguous. On the one hand, borders are obstacles that prevent interaction between people; we strive to open them. On the other hand, these lines create something holistic: we treat personal stories, boundaries, and regional contexts with care and respect.
berlin
24-28
SEPTEMBER
24-28
SEPTEMBER
PARADOX OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE
The concept of a festival that brings together different cultures, traditions, and regions often gets caught in a paradoxical dilemma: How can we showcase genuine diversity without reinforcing colonial stereotypes? Where do we draw the line regarding the cultures, countries, and identities that we invite to participate in our festival? Conversely, the question also arises as to whether we should ignore existing borders, even if certain cultures feel comfortable within them.
DIALOGUE FOR
THE FUTURE
The inaugural edition of the FreeForm Tradition Festival aims not to impose any prefabricated frameworks of cultural, national, or musical boundaries on the artists and the audience. Instead, we invite them to enter into a dialogue and to design a future in which borders become more permeable and inclusion and security are promoted instead of limitation.
Artist lineup
Freeform Tradition showcases diverse approaches to and interpretations of local, regional, or ethnic cultures. We present artists and groups who engage with cultural heritage from different regions of the world, continuing or reinventing musical traditions and presenting them in unconventional contexts.
Finland
PEKKO KÄPPI & K:H:H:LPekko Käppi and his band K:H:H:L (short for Kuolleiden Hullujen Hevosten Luut – "the bones of dead...
Germany, Ukraine
Ivanov VibeInnokentiy Ivanov is a Ukrainian vibraphonist, percussionist, composer, and arranger whose music bridges cultures and genres. Trained...
Russia, Vietnam
Bulat GafarovBulat Gafarov is a multi-instrumentalist, virtuoso singer, composer, and ethnographer whose musical world knows no borders. His...
Ukraine, Cyprus
AmoriusRoman Nepomyashchy is a musician of many faces: a classically trained clarinetist and conductor, he studied at...
Germany
Arkady ShilkloperArkady Shilkloper is a Russian-German multi-instrumentalist, composer, and one of the most innovative French horn players of...
Moldova, Germany
AcousticLandFounded in 2020 by international multi-instrumentalist Alexander Samodum, AcousticLand explores the intersection of tradition and innovation, offering...
Russia
VeriVeri, meaning "blood" in Finnish, is formerly known as Verikarjala. They emerge from the forests and swamps...
Festival program
Tuesday
09
September
Tuesday
16
September
Thursday
18
September
Thursday
25
September
Friday
26
September
Saturday
27
September
THREE DAYS OF PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC TALKS PROGRAM
The festival's first edition presents a program of professional public talks, “Music for Social Change”. Developed in collaboration with our partners, they will take place from September 24th to 28th at the Berlin Gallery. Join the community and take part in the conversations!
All details herevenues
The idea for each venue’s/location program is a combination of different elements. We build the program by bringing in unexpected music for a dance context.
Sometimes, it’s a challenge for the listener and the artist who is not used to such venues, sometimes, it’s genre-wise unexpected music that is made by people with electronic experience; sometimes it’s strange genre-less avant-garde with its own cultural background; sometimes it’s DJs who belong in a techno club, but we choose artists who avoid standards and look for electronic music in their native context.
Sometimes, it’s a challenge for the listener and the artist who is not used to such venues, sometimes, it’s genre-wise unexpected music that is made by people with electronic experience; sometimes it’s strange genre-less avant-garde with its own cultural background; sometimes it’s DJs who belong in a techno club, but we choose artists who avoid standards and look for electronic music in their native context.
Invalidenstraße 117, Berlin
Kunstfabrik SchlotThe Kunstfabrik Schlot is a jazz club in Berlin-Mitte, established in 1993. Operators and audiences alike generally...
Breitscheidplatz, Berlin
Kaiser Wilhelm ChurchThe over 125-year history of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church spans from being an imperial national monument...
Hardenbergstraße, Fasanenstraße 33
Konzertsaal der UdK Berlin Paul Baumgarten's outstanding 1950s building is a building steeped in history. The listed building represents the beginning...
Holzmarktstraße 15-18, Berlin
LarkLARK is a music venue and club located by the Spree River in Berlin.
We support emerging...
Passes and Tickets
Your pass or ticket grants you access to all regular, ticketed festival programs within the specified timeframe, subject to availability. Book early to secure your spot.
Please note that by purchasing a ticket, you agree to the Festival's
Terms and Conditions
Choose a ticket
Kunstfabrik Schlot
FFT Edition 2025 | Linues | Borders
25.09
Price from €15
An intimate evening with Bulat Gafarov, the world-renowned multi-instrumentalist and ethnographer. Experience rare instruments and vocal traditions from Arabic, Indian, Russian, and throat-singing styles.
UdK Konzertsaal
FFT Edition 2025 | Linues | Borders
26.09
Price from €15
Harp guitar virtuoso Alexander Samodum opens the night, followed by Ivanov Vibe’s ethno-jazz suite Picture of the World, featuring Arkady Shilkloper. A rich fusion of Balkan, Slavic, Scandinavian, and Japanese traditions.
LARK
FFT Edition 2025 | Linues | Borders
27.09
Price from €25
Electronic producer Amorius brings Ukrainian folk into the realm of drum and bass. The psychedelic Finnish band Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L delivers its signature "Scandinavian voodoo" with raw energy and blues-rock power.
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