Future Festival
Imagine a future 100 years from now... You are moving through your community: how do you get around and what surrounds you? Is it quiet? Are there people around? Animals or plants? What tools do you have in your bag? Where do you rest and what did you eat that day?
The Future Festival took place on 25th of January 2025 at the Reykjavík City Library. It was an open space for collective dreaming and imagination, where participants could engage in creative exercises, reimagine societal possibilities, and explore how we can shape a more just, innovative, and inclusive future. Whether through deep conversations, playful interventions, or hands-on activities, the festival encouraged us all to stretch our minds and envision what we could do differently for a brighter tomorrow. The library offered a unique democratic platform—a true place of practice where we could gather to reflect on today´s issues of eco-crisis, inequality and disconnection. How can we develop communities with common intentions and build strong alliances for better futures?
The project managers of the Future Festival, Dögg Sigmarsdóttir and Martyna Daniel, consulted extensively with philosophers, designers, artists, future experts and those working on shaping public spaces that promote inclusive, sustainable public places. The consultation laid the foundation for the Future Festival’s focus, the festival´s description and visual communication to reach out to a diverse user group. An open call was launched in October 2025. Over 30 applications were received, and a selection committee chose 13 contributions that became a part of the Future Festival. Contributers to the Future Festival met Pétur Magnússon, a journalist of the radio show Samfélagið on Rás 1, and shared their vision for the future and how they contributed to the Future Festival. The collaboration between Samfélaglið resulted in an interview series that began on January 14, 2025. Listen to inspiring radio interviews with our festival contributors describing unique future possibilities: Interviews about Futures in the Samfélagið
A selection committee reviewed all submitted applications and selected 13 contributions to the Future Festival. The committee took following criteria into account:
Is the application aligned with the focus of the Future Festival 2025 - namely, nature-human relations, originality or optimism for the future?
Is the contribution participatory and does it encourage the development of diverse futures?
When choosing applications, the overall program and how it appeals to different senses was considered. The selection committee was composed of: Christoph Matt, Dögg Sigmarsdóttir, Martyna Daniel, Megan Auður og Ólafur Páll Jónsson.
Future Festival Consultants:
The Reykjavík City Museum and Reykjavík Art Museum: Birna María Ásgeirsdóttir, Björk Hrafnsdóttir, Halla Margrét Jóhannesdóttir, Helga Maureen Gylfadóttir, Hlín Gylfadóttir, Hróðný Kristínar Kristjánsdóttir, Sigríður Lína Daníelsdóttir; The Icelandic Center for Future Studies: Karl Friðriksson; Bifröst University: Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdóttir, Bergsveinn Þórsson, Njörður Sigurjónsson og nemendur í skapandi greinum; University of Iceland: Nanna Hlín Halldórsdóttir, Ólafur Páll Jónsson, Tryggvi Thayer; Iceland University of the Arts: Massimo Santanicchia; Reykjavík City´s Department of Environment & Planning: Gunnar Hersveinn Sigursteinsson, Salóme Rósa Þorkelsdóttir; experts in inclusive, public spaces including designers, future visionaries and artists who many belong to the creative hub in hafnar.haus: Antje Taiga Jandrig, Arnar Sigurðsson, Chris Marcatili, Christopher Matt, Halldóra Mogenssen, Hjalti Björn Hrafnkelsson, Micah Horvat, Ólöf Embla Eyjólfsdóttir, Rán Flygenring, René Boonekamp, Salóme Rósa Þorkelsdóttir, Vigdís Jakobsdóttir, Þórhildur Þórhallsdóttir
Future Festival Photographer: Patrik Ontkovic
Overview of the Future Festival program
Workshops and Discussion Circles
11:00-12:30
1st floor, Torgið | Future For All - Depending on What?
2nd floor | Future Symbols - Collaborative Textile Artwork
5th floor | New AI - Æ City
5th floor | Becoming Ancestors
13:30-15:00
1st floor, Torgið | Envisioning a Nordic Solarpunk Future
2nd floor | Future Land of Flowers
2nd floor | The Community House - Build the Future Home
5th floor | AI Ethics: Who Will Possess Our Values?
5th floor | Stories in a Cup
15:30-17:00
1st floor, Torgið | Future Policing: Safety Without Force?
2nd floor | When We Dream of Tomorrow
5th floor | Healing World
17:00-19:00
6th floor | Decolonised Dinner (fully booked, this particular event required registration)
Future Stations
10:00-17:00
1st floor | Bókatorg | Future Lunch Box – Open Drawing Station
1st floor | Bókatorg | ZINE of Future Festival
1st floor | Bókatorg | Future Constitution
5th floor| Verkstæðið | AI's Moral Compass - Interactive Installation
12:30-15:30
1st floor | Bókatorg | Future Foods
13:00-17:00
6th floor | Reykjavík Museum of Photography | Children's relationship with animals
Further information:
Martyna Karolina Daniel, project manager of intercultural affairs
martyna.karolina.daniel@reykjavik.is