For the fifth time, the Future Playgrounds Festival will take place at the Design Zentrum Hamburg. Organized by the branding and design agency Peter Schmidt Group, it is an event centered on professional exchange and inspiration that attracts the creative community: speakers known from international stages, thought leaders, and emerging talents will come together over two days to explore aesthetic and technological trends shaping the future.

On stage this year: Chris Kore, who describes herself as a “digital dreamer at the intersection of generative art, new media, and emotional storytelling.” The experimental sound studio Can Touch This, which makes sound tangible through interaction with objects and bodies and will also be bringing this experience to the stage. Cihan Tamti, who not only designed the posters for Kieler Woche 2025 but also created the merchandise for Lauryn Hill. Also: Studio FOREAL, known for its expressive 3D worlds. Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. This year, selected up-and-coming talents will once again have the opportunity to present their work and ideas on stage, share their perspectives, and engage in dialogue with the audience. A panel discussion and a get-together on the first evening of the event round out the program.

The theme: “Own Your Aura” 

This year’s motto, “Own Your Aura,” is a call to creatives to use their work to evoke emotional fascination and thereby make brands desirable. The program is curated by Felix Damerius and Sven Rieckmann, both Executive Creative Directors at the Peter Schmidt Group. For Sven Rieckmann, the central theme captures the spirit of the times: “In an increasingly fast-paced and efficiency-driven world, there is a growing longing for moments that move us and transport us away from everyday life. That is exactly what an aura does.” His conviction: Designers play a crucial role in building an aura and creating moving experiences. Lukas Cottrell, CEO of the Peter Schmidt Group: “An aura emerges where creativity meets attitude. These are precisely the perspectives our speakers bring to the stage at the Future Playgrounds.”  

Ticket sales have begun

The event will take place at the Design Zentrum Hamburg (Hongkongstraße 8, 20457 Hamburg). The program begins at 2 p.m. on both days—the exact schedule will be published by mid-August on the event microsite. Ticket sales have started, and—as in previous years—Day Passes are available at affordable prices, which cover the beverage fee for the respective day . Tickets are available now. As in previous years, Day Passes are offered at affordable prices. The ticket price includes the beverage fee for the respective day.