Pictoplasma Berlin 2027

Pictoplasma is the international festival of contemporary character design and art, held every spring in Berlin. The 2027 edition runs from 29 April to 2 May at silent green, a former crematorium in Wedding that is now one of the city's most interesting cultural venues. For four days, illustrators, animators, designers, toy makers and artists from around the world meet to talk about characters: how they are designed, animated, told and brought into the world.

The festival has been running since 2004 and has built one of the most loyal communities in illustration and animation.

About Pictoplasma

Pictoplasma began in Berlin as a publishing and research project about character design, and grew into a festival, a series of books and events that have also travelled abroad. Its focus is the character as an art form: not just mascots and cartoons, but figures used in contemporary art, animation, games, graphic design and toys.

The Berlin festival is known for its relaxed, playful atmosphere. Speakers are often artists whose work is admired online, and the audience is made up largely of practising creatives who come to learn, share and meet collaborators.

What to Expect

• Conference: artist talks, a symposium and panels with character designers, illustrators, animators and directors, plus an attendee stage for new voices
• Animation Fest: an official selection of short films and music videos built around characters
• Industry Forum: portfolio reviews, meetups and networking with studios and agencies
• Character Lab: workshops, art jams, round tables and media demos
• Open House: a character market with prints, toys and zines, animation screenings, an exhibition, picture book readings and family activities

2027 Programme

The festival runs from Thursday 29 April to Sunday 2 May 2027. The speakers, film selection and workshop timetable are announced on the official website in the months before. The conference is aimed at professionals and students, while the Open House events welcome a wider audience.

If you want to show your work, look out for calls for the Animation Fest, the attendee stage and the character market, announced on the official website and newsletter.

Who Is It For?

• Illustrators and character designers
• 2D and 3D animators and motion designers
• Toy designers and makers of collectibles
• Game artists and concept artists
• Students in illustration, animation and graphic design, who often attend with their schools

Tickets

Pictoplasma Berlin conference passes are sold on the official website, and they sell quickly: the 2026 conference sold out. Ticket types and prices for 2027 have not been announced yet; sign up to the newsletter to hear when sales open.

Why Character Design?

Characters are everywhere in visual culture: in animation and games, in branding and advertising, in picture books, toys and street art. Pictoplasma treats them as a creative discipline of their own, looking at how a few shapes, colours and expressions can carry personality and story. The festival's talks often go deep into process, with artists showing early sketches, failed ideas and the development of a character from a doodle to a finished film or product.

For illustrators and animators, that focus is rare. Most design conferences cover characters only as part of a broader programme, while Pictoplasma brings together people who make them every day, from independent artists to studio directors. Many visitors say the most valuable part is the community: the conversations in the courtyard, the shared tables at the workshops and the meetups at the Industry Forum.

If you are a student, the festival is also a good way to discover studios and artists to follow, and to see what kind of personal work leads to commissions in animation, publishing and games.

Things to Know

• Location: silent green is on Gerichtstraße 35 in Wedding, a short walk from Wedding S-Bahn and U-Bahn station.
• Buy early: conference passes are limited by the size of the hall.
• Bring cards: the market and the meetups are made for swapping business cards, stickers and zines.
• Language: talks are held in English.
• Around Berlin: early May is a lovely time to visit the city, with long evenings and many galleries open.

Attend Pictoplasma Berlin 2027

Planning a visit?

Visit Pictoplasma

Speakers, the timetable and conference tickets are on the official Pictoplasma website.

Looking for more to see? Browse all events, festivals and exhibitions on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 19, 2026