UNFINISHED Kicks Off: A Multidisciplinary Festival of Art & Dialogue

In just a few days, the ninth edition of the UNFINISHED festival will kick off. From September 27 to 29, this multidisciplinary event will gather artists, authors, athletes, urban planners, entrepreneurs, landscape architects, and many other experts and creatives to explore the theme of this year—PRAXIS.

The festival will take place at the House of Ideas (46 Dionisie Lupu Street), featuring its 4,000 square meter garden and heritage greenhouse. Among the guests this year are pianist Faraj Suleiman (PS), poet Ben Okri (UK), Peter Conrad (GER), founder of the Slowness platform, Barbara Soalheiro (BR), founder of the MESA program, futurist and philosopher Jason Silva (USA, VE), and multisensory artist Grace Boyle (UK).

What’s Happening at UNFINISHED?

With its multidisciplinary approach, the festival explores the theme of PRAXIS through a variety of unique experiences—from urban walks through Bucharest and reading sessions, to workshops on ancient fabric dyeing, bread tastings, and installations that explore the relationship between artificial intelligence and the natural world.

Here are some of the highlights to expect:

#TALKS: Visionary architect Marko Brajovic (BR) will discuss the interaction between nature, technology, and human-centered design. Experience designer Monika Jiang (GER) and digital designer Lauren Celenza (US) will have a conversation about loneliness and the power of community. Additionally, brothers Alin and Tibi Ușeriu (RO) will engage in a captivating dialogue on resilience, personal growth, and their shared experiences on the Via Transilvanica.

#INSTALLATIONS: Grace Boyle’s (UK) installation, born from the intersection of biology and technology, will raise questions about green intelligence and AI. In the greenhouse, designer Adelina Toma (RO) will unveil a permanent installation made with ancient dyeing techniques and natural colors, aimed at reconnecting the audience with sustainable practices. Participants will also have the chance to interact with an installation in the House of Ideas that highlights the transformative hiking trail—Via Transilvanica.

#PERFORMANCES:The UNFINISHED community can enjoy concerts, public readings, and DJ sets. As in previous years, Modern Love editor Daniel Jones (US) will join actresses Dana Rogoz (RO) and Ana Ularu (RO) to bring to life love stories written by members of the UNFINISHED community. Additionally, artist Sanda Weigl (RO, GER, US), accompanied by Shoko Nagai (JPN, USA) and Bradley Jones (USA), will deliver a memorable concert featuring folk, jazz, and traditional Romanian music.

#TASTE:Participants will have the opportunity to indulge in artisanal bread tastings led by sommelier Lara Schutz (RO), explore Romanian wines with Costi Drăgan (RO), and enjoy cacao or tea ceremonies. Each day, the community will gather for meals in the heritage greenhouse at the House of Ideas, sharing breakfast, lunch, and dinner together.

#WELLBEING: For those seeking wellness, Avisek Majumdar (IN, RO) will lead yoga sessions, while sound and vibration healing workshops with Zeyla Tomlyn (RO, GER) promise a meditative experience.

#EXPERIENCES: Experiences play a vital role in the UNFINISHED festival. Participants can join urbanist Lior Steinberg (NL, IL) for a guided exploration of Bucharest focused on human-centered design, take part in a creative writing session with editors Daniel Jones (US) and Nicoleta Rădăcină (RO), or join a garden mapping workshop led by landscape architect Nicolas Triboi (RO).

How to Participate in UNFINISHED?

If you want to secure one of the 3,141 available spots at the festival, make sure to submit your application at apply.unfinished.ro by September 25 (23:59). The UNFINISHED community consists of over 20,000 people from more than 70 countries, united by their curiosity, willingness to listen to diverse opinions, and ability to generate innovative ideas through dialogue and knowledge exchange.

The UNFINISHED festival is held under the high patronage of the European Parliament and is organized by the EIDOS Foundation in partnership with the Capital City Hall, through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of Bucharest. The entire program is published on https://unfinished.ro/program/ and for more information check the event’s social media pages.