Another year, another Forward Festival.
The beginning of October, when autumn rushes in and overtakes the last warm days, always feels the same as creatives rushing into Gartenbaukino to grab the closest seat to the stage. Expectations were high after last year, especially with such an impressive lineup of speakers, many of whom are well-known names in the design world. The sold-out event featured more than 20 brilliant speakers, each with a different story but a shared mission: to inspire through creativity.
If you missed what we took away from last year, you can catch our recap here.
This year, we attended only the second day of the festival, but the talks we heard were enough to make us talk about them for days. Every speaker brought something unique, whether it was about embracing AI or choosing to completely ignore it. There was a lot of talk about 3D and motion design, and about returning to your true artistic self, because only then you can create something that is authentically you.
Beyond the talks, the festival offered countless opportunities to connect with industry leaders, meet colleagues from the same field, and leave with new knowledge and inspiration for future projects. Here are some standout moments and takeaways from the event:
From the Oldest Nation to the Newest Ideas
Holy Motors is a holistic design agency from Georgia. Their energy lifted the atmosphere the moment they stepped on stage, and we definitely weren’t ready for 30 minutes of laughter and pure creative brilliance.
They take inspiration from their vibrant hometown, blending tradition with playfulness, which results in electrifying graphic design and eccentric advertising concepts. Their motto, “Out of nothing, everything,” made everyone laugh, mostly because it’s so true. Many clients come with nothing and are expecting everything.
Their talk was also fascinating because both founders come from very different educational backgrounds. But that, in itself, is their strength. As a designer, the more you know, the better you can create, and the more layered your work becomes. Their most memorable line? “Simple isn’t boring.”
No Worries, Just Shapes
The next talk focused more on workflow and tools for creating 3D art.
No Worries Just Shapes is a 3D and motion design studio run by artists and designers Lina Schubert and Florentin Berger. Coming from different artistic fields gave them a special power to create something fresh and unexpected.
Nature serves as a rich source of inspiration for them, along with their diverse backgrounds in fields such as set and graphic design, music composition, anthropology, theatre, and advertising. Their work consists mainly of organic, nature-inspired 3D forms and sculptures created in Procreate, Cinema 4D, and Redshift. They even use VR technology to model their shapes, something we didn’t even realize was possible before!
A Mix of Digital and Analog
Deveroe, a Berlin-based motion designer, multimedia artist, and creative director, transforms his chaotic childhood into a signature style that fuses youth and urban culture with a DIY aesthetic that speaks directly to Gen Z.
His talk was deeply personal, reflecting on his creative journey and the search for his own voice and place in the world. He spoke about turning fear and imperfection into something raw, original, and powerful.
From Editing to Editor
This talk stood out for its message about motivation and perseverance, and how hard work can take you to places where your creativity truly has the power to make an impact.
Mah, a young editor from Brazil, now runs her studio Church Edit between Los Angeles and New York. She has earned more than 85 awards and was even named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30.
She spoke about creating without references, since editors aren’t always on set with directors or DOPs. Often, they have to build emotion and meaning from raw visuals and sound alone. Mah also touched on how the creative industry sometimes tries to box artists into strict “A-B-C” processes, when some creatives actually thrive by doing things in a “B-C-A” order. Too many rules, she said, create an invisible fence that limits imagination. And sometimes, the best ideas come from breaking those rules.
The Talk Show
Bráulio Amado, the designer behind some of the most iconic album covers of recent years, needs no introduction. His work is instantly recognizable, the kind you can’t miss while scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest.
But what made his presentation truly memorable wasn’t just his art itself but the way he shared it. Instead of a typical slideshow, he staged an entire talk show, where he played a baby (representing himself as a young artist navigating the adult world) interviewing his own artwork as a guest. The result was hilarious, self-aware, and completely unforgettable. Even his “not-so-good” posters looked phenomenal thanks to his delivery, proving that sometimes it really is all about presentation.
Design Olympics
Last but not least, Kelly Anna, a graphic designer who has collaborated with major brands like BMW, Nike, and the NFL, took the stage.
She spoke about finding her style and constantly evolving it, realizing that you don’t always need to create something entirely new. Sometimes, you can recycle your ideas and reshape them to fit a new context or client aesthetic, or break that expectation altogether.
Kelly has done it all: painting huge murals, designing sneakers, curating exhibitions, and even painting a football pitch. She also opened up about the challenges of being a woman in the creative industry, and a mother. A story she shared about managing one of her biggest collaborations while caring for a newborn showed just how much strength and determination her work requires. Her talk was as empowering as it was inspiring
Forward Festival once again proved that creativity has no boundaries and that every artist, no matter their medium or background, has something meaningful to share. It’s also a nice opportunity for creatives to gain new knowledge and a lot of new inspiration for new projects. Conferences and festivals like this one should become a staple in every creatives career.
And since we were already in Vienna, we couldn’t leave without exploring a bit. The city has it all, from the amazing food that we ate to the more amazing bookshops that we visited. As designers, we appreciate aesthetic coffee and brunch places. If you find yourself in Vienna, we highly recommend Öfferl Bakery. They have many locations, so they’re easy to find, and you will find good coffee and some traditional breakfast options, with a wide variety of pastries. Oh, and remember to grab yourself some Currywurst, which you can find basically on every corner. See you next year, Vienna.
