From October 3 to 5, 2025, Bucharest will once again become the vibrant epicentre of new media art in Europe, hosting the highly anticipated 6th edition of the RADAR Festival of New Media Art, themed “Light Borders.” This cutting-edge festival will take place at the iconic Casa Presei Libere – House of Free Press in the Marble Hall (Sala de Marmură), offering a spectacular showcase where art and technology merge.
RADAR Festival 2025 brings to Romania, for the first time, a stunning array of interactive light installations, lasers, immersive projections, and holograms created by leading artists from over 11 countries across the globe. The festival pushes the boundaries of contemporary digital art by blending emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), artificial intelligence (AI), and video mapping with interactive sensors that transform visitors into active collaborators.
Which artists and international studios will exhibit at RADAR Light Borders 2025
The artists and international studios exhibiting at RADAR Light Borders 2025 include:
- Guillaume Marmin and Colectiff Scale from France, known for kinetic and synesthetic installations.
- Andy Thomas from Australia, who creates digital compositions transforming bird sounds into living visual sculptures.
- Fuse Studio from Italy, presenting the installation “Onirica,” where dreams are translated into AI-generated images.
- Mots group from Romania/Germany, returning with a new social experiment installation “The Pledge” focusing on algorithmic bias.
- Artists from Slovakia and Germany.
- International studios from Spain, Poland, and Taiwan.
- Peppercorns, a prestigious studio from Taiwan, is presenting works recognised by the Muse Design Award.
- Several Romanian digital and new media artists, including those associated with RIZI studio, which is involved in the festival’s design and curatorship.
This line-up consolidates RADAR as a platform for international dialogue and a regional hub for transdisciplinary creativity in new media art.
The festival features installations from over 11 countries, with pieces previously exhibited at major new media art festivals in New York, Melbourne, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, and Rome.
RADAR Kids, the festival’s children’s segment, will also feature interactive installations and workshops by studios from Taiwan, Czechia, and Romania with a focus on education and creative play.
This diverse assembly of artists and studios underscores the festival’s stature as a significant event in European new media art.
What are the main themes and featured installations in Light Borders
The main themes of the “Light Borders” edition of RADAR Festival 2025 centre around exploring borders and boundaries – physical, cultural, and digital – through immersive light art and new media installations. The festival explores the intersection of technology and art, challenging and illuminating concepts of connection, division, and human interaction across borders.
Featured installations include large-scale interactive light installations, holograms, and projections that invite audience participation and foster dialogue. For example, some works explore themes of societal and algorithmic boundaries. In contrast, others create luminous bridges connecting people symbolically or literally, such as installations inspired by international border and migration stories.
The festival highlights social experiments on algorithmic bias, the blending of augmented and virtual reality with sensory elements, and the transformation of light into living, pulsating experiences. The theme of “light as a connector” is emphasised to reflect border crossings, communication, and shared human experiences beyond divisions.
The festival combines immersive technology-driven artworks with curatorial intentions to provoke reflection on how new media art can redefine our understanding of borders in a globalised and digitised world.
With “Light Borders,” RADAR invites audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic, multisensory experience where light and sound come alive, provoking reflection on how technology reshapes human interaction and perception. The event creates a luminous playground where art becomes a living, breathing entity that challenges traditional borders – be they physical, cultural, or digital.
Families are also warmly welcomed to explore RADAR Kids, an innovative section dedicated to children, featuring engaging light and sound installations designed to spark creativity and curiosity among young visitors.
As RADAR Festival continues to expand its international reach, Bucharest solidifies its position as a thriving hub for new media art and digital culture in Europe. This event is a must-visit for anyone interested in experiencing the future of art and technology in an unforgettable setting.
Plan a visit to Bucharest this October and witness firsthand the city’s transformation into a dazzling centre of new media innovation and artistic exploration.
