Claire Francis is an Australian-British writer specialising in music, culture and travel. She is particularly interested in writing about the intersections between electronic music and visual art, underground clubbing and festival scenes, and community-based arts collectives.

Claire Francis

The long-running German highlight is a crucial fixture of 

’s clubbing scene, with the jaw-dropping Kraftwerk building powering the spectacle.

A city that’s as synonymous with techno and pioneering electronic sounds as Berlin deserves a festival that underscores this hefty reputation. 

 fits the bill, with a boundary-pushing ethos that reflects the city’s radical, free-thinking attitudes and penchant for dark, smoky aesthetics. First taking place between 1982 and 1990, before relaunching in its current form in 2013, Atonal presents an electrifying programme that connects the dots between exploratory sonics and visual art.

Held at Kraftwerk, a mammoth former power plant that acts as a kind of temple to Berlin nightlife, the annual, week-long festival is renowned for its curation of mind-blowing performances that work in sync with the building’s colossal industrial interior. There’s a willingness towards experimentation at the heart of Atonal’s programming that sets it apart from other electronic music festivals. Performances can be risky or unconventional, but that’s part of the appeal, especially in a city that values freedom of expression as much as Berlin does.

What’s equally impressive is the way Atonal keeps innovating, with satellite events and standalone concert series like Metabolic Rift, a guided exhibition tour through a series of curated audiovisual installations; or, there’s the three-day-long X100 event honouring the late avant-garde composer Iannis Xenakis and featuring the likes of Kali Malone, Valentina Magaletti and Pan Daijing. Atonal continues to evolve with the times, and much like the city it is based in, it’s always full of surprises.

Berlin Atonal is set to make its return to the Kraftwerk complex in 2023. Dates are yet to be announced.

Germany

Berlin

 Berlin Atonal

Carnaval de Bahidorá has received awards for its sustainability practices, and is a shining example of how environmental responsibility can benefit the local community.

Chosen for: Preserving Culture and Driving Diversity.

This boutique Mexican festival, located in the stunning Las Estacas natural ecotourism park, might be the global festival circuit’s best kept secret. Taking place in February each year, Carnaval de Bahidorá is an annual, three-day festival in the state of Morelos, south of Mexico City. The turquoise waters of the Yautepec River and the lush flora of the Sierra de Montenegro natural reserve offer a dreamlike setting to enjoy sets from international electronic artists like John Talabot and Soichi Terada, while also providing a platform for a roster of cutting-edge Latin American acts.

The festival grew out of a series of underground parties in Mexico City, and the eclectic, innovative line-ups reflect this intimate, grassroots ethos. The multi-stage setup means the music flows around the clock, though those who can tear themselves away from the dancefloor will find a host of outdoor activities to enjoy, including swimming, sunbathing, kayaking and yoga. An inviting wellness schedule offers meditation, massages, sound therapy and cacao ceremonies, and contemporary art is showcased in the form of an outdoor exhibition of installations made by multidisciplinary artists. No trip to Mexico would be complete without indulging in the country’s famed cuisine, and Bahidorá’s fresh approach to food culture is underscored by an expansive gastronomical programme.

Respect for its local area is reflected in Bahidorá’s sustainability strategies, which were recognised by the Green Music Initiative in 2018, making this the the first Mexican and Latin American festival to receive this commendation. Last year, Bahidorá’s commitment to environmental responsibility was also acknowledged by the British Council as part of the Circular Cultures sustainability project, promoting meaningful cultural exchange between Mexico and the UK, and paving the way for sustainable festival practices in Mexico.

Carnaval de Bahidorá will take place at Las Estacas in Morelos, Mexico, on 17-19 February 2023.

Mexico

Mexico City 

Carnaval de Bahidorá

Unsound has built a deserved reputation for championing experimental sonics, platforming artists beyond the mainstream.

Unsound is an annual, week-long celebration of contemporary electronic music that takes place in multiple venues across Kraków. The festival celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, growing in stature from the very first edition where the artists were “

thrown out of a club for playing music that was too weird for regular patrons

”. That willingness to embrace innovative scenes and radical sounds is still very much at the heart of this influential festival, which has become a go-to for serious music fans eager to take in a range of avant-garde sonics in memorable settings.

Unsound’s reputation for inventive programming is unparalleled, and its global reach is equally formidable, with regular events taking place in New York, Adelaide, Toronto and London alongside the main festival offering. A core motivation of the organisers has always been to promote artists from all over the world, with a particular focus on post-Soviet countries, working with musicians and curators to bridge the gap between east and west.

Alongside its adventurous line-ups, Unsound also offers an immersive introduction to many of Kraków’s lesser-known venues and spaces. Over the years performances have taken place in opera houses, abandoned hotels and synagogues, as well as disused spaces and Soviet-era buildings far removed from the city’s tourist hotspots. Pioneers, such as the late SOPHIE, have performed in the main room of Hotel Forum, and Burial once played inside a salt mine. The venues have, in the past, elevated the performances and created unforgettable moments that are unique to Unsound.

Another highlight is the opportunity to see world premieres of new works, as well as one-off concerts and productions that are developed specifically for the festival. The event has gained a reputation for successfully implementing a thought-provoking programme of talks each year, one that creates intrigue rather than feels like an aside to the music. The festival has experienced numerous challenges as of late – from gentrification to a post-pandemic climate and now the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine. Some of its most iconic venues are no longer a part of the event, which has altered the festival experience. However, Unsound continues to evolve and adapt its themes and working model, making it an ever-changing experience that offers new rewards year after year.

Unsound takes place annually in Kraków, Poland. Dates are yet to be announced.

Unsound

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Rolling hills, picturesque villages and wonderful vineyards make up the stunning scenery of the 

, a region widely regarded as the heart of 

. Home to the world-famous Chianti red wine, it’s in this charming setting that the second edition of the food and music festival 

This three-day electronic music event in September made its debut last year but has already made an impression by focusing on the local culture of the area. There’s a thoughtfully-curated programme of wine tasting, guided hikes and locally sourced Tuscan cuisine, while the site’s natural amphitheatre of alpine trees is a magical backdrop for DJ sets from both emerging talents and underground heroes (think Bristol-based selector k means alongside the likes of Tuscany-based radio station Fango and local DJ Rufus). The menu of 53100’s inaugural edition featured different packages that served up rich pastas, dishes inspired by the Tuscan tradition of 

 (peasant cooking), locally sourced cuts and homemade pastries.

Held on a secluded mountain top at Villa San Michele, the festival is easily reachable from Florence but still far away from Italy’s usual tourist trail, and various accommodation options – including camping – enhance its link to nature. Experience this off-grid affair while it still remains an intimate festival attended by those in the know.

is one of the finalists for Trippin 50, a cultural calendar featuring the best events around the world. 

53100 Festival is taking place at Villa San Michele, Tuscany, from 13-15 September 2024.

The temperature averages at around 25°C.

Ticket prices start from €180 for the weekend package or €39.40 for a day pass.

If you're flying to Tuscany the closest airports to the festival are Aeroporto Firenze Peretola, or taking a train from Aeroporto di Pisa or Aeroporto di Bologna. 


The festival offers accommodation packages. Alternatively if you'd rather organise your own, the festival recommends looking at either of the following: Glamping Orlando, Le Cetinelle, Terre di Melazzano, B&B Casale le Masse or Agriturismo Il Santo.

53100

With a new location and an expanded outlook, 

’s Mira Digital Arts Festival is leading the way in inventive programming that intersects electronic music with visual culture.

When it comes to music festivals in the Catalan capital, Primavera Sound and Sónar have historically dominated the circuit. 

 is a dark horse asserting itself as a major challenger to these better-known events thanks to consistent, excellent programming and, as of 2022, a new venue. Now based at the spacious Fira Montjuïc, a grand exhibition centre built in the 1920s – and coincidentally, a key venue of Sónar – Mira has doubled its capacity and extended its opening hours, offering over 13 hours of entertainment each day.

As well as a trailblazing electronic music agenda, bringing together the very best in both established and up-and-coming artists, the two-day event is packed with DJ sets, live performances, large-format art installations, 360º projections in the Mira Dome, and a digital art gallery. The frankly colossal 2022 line-up linked electronic music styles across the decades, bringing together the likes of Neu! and Orbital with a new generation of leading edge contemporary acts. Despite being a drawcard for international festival-goers, Mira also retains a distinctly Spanish atmosphere thanks to a strong local presence.

Held annually in November, the festival makes an excellent late autumn destination, with Barcelona’s Mediterranean climate remaining relatively mild and sunny. At this time of year the heavy summer tourist crowds have also dissipated, making it the prime opportunity to take in nearby cultural attractions including the Montjuïc National Palace and the Joan Miró Foundation.

Mira Digital Arts Festival takes place at Fira de Barcelona, Spain, on 11-12 November 2023.

Spain

Barcelona

Mira Digital Arts Festival 

A true icon of British culture, Glastonbury remains an unmissable festival experience 50-plus years on from its inception.

Chosen for: Sustainability, Innovation and Long-Term Impact.

One of the biggest festivals in the world, each edition of this long-running event held at Worthy Farm in Somerset attracts tens of thousands of attendees, with tickets selling out in record time year after year. The five-day event has come a long way since its very first iteration back in 1970 under the name of the Pop, Blues & Folk Festival, when tickets cost £1 and included free milk from the farm. Now, a map is required just to navigate the sprawling site, which continues to evolve via the use of jaw-dropping stage designs that transcend the usual festival experience. Take, for example, Block9's 65-foot IICON stage which debuted in 2019. Featuring an anonymised head with a huge LED screen over its eyes, the stage is complimented by 360-degree sound, bespoke three-dimensional video content and projection mapping across the surface. The brainchild of Steven Gallagher and Gideon Berger, the pair have also in the past recreated a six-storey council block with a tube train crashing through the fourth floor. And then there's the revered NYC Downlow, Glastonbury's first queer club that opened in 2007. Coming to life once a year, this legendary queer haven is a recreation of a New York Meatpacking District warehouse party, combined with a gay sauna and filled with drag queens, butchers, performers and strobes. To reflect the ongoing conversations around sustainability, last year Shangri-La built its stages from the objects around them, such as scrap metal and wood.

Despite evolving into a colossal-scale production since those early days, Glastonbury has retained its community-minded essence, which was originally inspired by the hippie and counterculture movements of the late 1960s. Since 2000, each year the festival has paid over £1 million to charities and local causes. As well as partnering with international groups like Greenpeace, Oxfam and WaterAid, since 2007 over £6 million has been spent on local companies and suppliers based within 25 miles of Worthy Farm. Support projects for the local community have included building the new Pilton Working Men’s Club, the completion of a housing project providing affordable rent for villagers who cannot afford Pilton prices, and the renovation of the child’s play area in the Pilton Playing Fields. The years when Glastonbury doesn’t take place, known as fallow years, are deliberately planned in order to give the land and local population a break. The energy, waste and sustainability policies like ‘Love Worthy Farm – Leave No Trace’ strive to ensure that a minimal imprint is left on the site and surrounding areas.

Performances at Glastonbury also have the power to shift societal attitudes, such as the legendary performance by Orbital in 1994 which helped steer dance music towards mainstream acceptance. In 2019, Stormzy became the first Black headliner of the festival and cemented grime's place in the mainstream via his politically-charged performance on the Pyramid Stage. The artist sampled David Lammy, used his platform to speak about the bias of the justice system and incorporated a ballet performance into the set. Kylie Minogue, who was forced to cancel her Glastonbury set in 2005 due to breast cancer, made a momentous debut at Worthy Farm 14 years later after beating her diagnosis. In 2022, Kylie took over the Sunday Legends slot and became the most viewed Glastonbury performance ever. This history-in-the-making aspect is just one example of how the festival has become a major cultural influencer, and alongside the mammoth line-up and otherworldly spectacles, there's a plethora of installations and 

As Stephanie Phillips of the feminist punk band Big Joanie pointed out in an article for 

 last year, there’s still work to be done in terms of attracting more ethnically diverse audiences that better reflect the true diversity of British culture. The Glastonbury team worked on booking diverse line-ups to make the event feel more inclusive and welcoming to Black and brown communities. As a major cultural influencer, Glastonbury is a force for change – one that continues to evolve.

Glastonbury takes place at Worthy Farm on 21-25 June 2023.

Glastonbury 

, this festival is the place to go to experience the 

Latvian festival Skaņu Mežs is known as “the forest of sounds”.  This predominantly public-funded event has been pushing the envelope since it launched in 2003. The programming consistently showcases a plethora of avant-garde performers, as well as attracting international acts like Autechre, Blixa Bargeld, Julia Holter, Bernard Parmegiani, Squarepusher and Laurel Halo. 

Autumn in Riga can be chilly, but it’s also a beautiful time of year to see the city, from the cobblestone streets of the medieval Old Town to the newer neighbourhoods boasting contemporary art galleries, community-minded cultural spaces and cosy, alternative nightlife spots.

Skaņu Mežs is taking place in Riga, Latvia, on 4-5 October 2024.

Skaņu Mežs

What the Meakusma team specialise in is bringing their impeccable curation to the area. Last year the team behind the event presented a scaled-down Meaksuma Weekender in neighbouring St Vith, giving them time to reflect on the festival’s continuing growth and fine-tune any organisational aspects accordingly. Plenty of thought clearly goes into the festival’s ethos and future sustainability plans: it’s also strongly community-minded, and eschews headliners in favour of an adventurous programme of contemporary experimental and electronic music.

If last year’s weekender is anything to go by, for this years edition festival-goers can expect to experience a wide spectrum of electronic music. For the four days of the 2024 festival edition, church bells in all churches in Eupen will be switched off and replaced by a special sound program composed and developed by 12 different artists. A space in which to revel in some dance music regulars and favourites, alongside new discoveries.

Meakusma is one of the finalists for Trippin 50, a cultural calendar featuring the best events around the world. 

Meakusma is taking place in Eupen, Belgium, from 29 August to 1 September 2024.

Eupen can be easily reached by public transport and is easily walkable.

Free camping is on offer at the festival field site.

There is currently no information on accessibility.

Meakusma Festival

 is a forward-thinking showcase of cutting-edge music, and a highlight on the late autumn festival calendar.

For 20 years now C2C Festival – formerly known as Club to Club – has been at the forefront of Italy's inner-city festival agenda, reflecting Turin’s innovative arts and design culture with an annual programme of dynamic, world-class acts. Over the course of its trajectory, the event has evolved in stature, moving from an assortment of smaller clubs and venues to larger, post-industrial spaces that reflect the northern Italian city’s manufacturing history and status as the home of the country’s automobile industry.

With each edition, C2C presents a visionary line-up that is heavily rooted in electronic music while also exploring fresh, contemporary sounds across pop, jazz, rap and hip-hop. Festival-goers enjoy sets from luminaries like Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Kraftwerk and Nicolas Jaar, while also discovering a new wave of Italian artists through a series of showcases and performances held in unusual and awe-inspiring spots across the city.

The location is something of a hidden gem, with Turin often slightly overlooked by travellers in favour of more well-known Italian cities further south. But the capital city of Piedmont is awash with 18th century architecture and world-class cuisine, making it the perfect place to explore between breaks in the festival’s expansive programming. The imposing Palazzo Madama, home to Turin’s civic collection of ancient art, boasts a dazzlingly ornate interior that needs to be seen to be believed. Its beautiful black-and-white tiled, parlour palm-dotted cafe is the spot to enjoy a coffee or aperitivo and reflect on C2C’s thought-provoking musical agenda.

C2C Festival takes place at Lingotto, Turin, on 2-5 November 2023.

C2C Festival

Dedicated to developing talent, cities and spaces, Belgium’s Horst Arts & Music Festival is one of Europe’s best illustrations of how music and architecture can come together to form a truly distinctive community-driven event.

Founded in 2014, Horst celebrates and encourages the intersections of different art forms, and there’s a huge emphasis on listening spaces and site-specific interactions. This makes sense, given the two distinct locations that the festival has called home. Previously held on the grounds of a medieval castle, since 2019 Horst has taken place amongst the slightly dystopian, post-industrial surrounds of Asiat Park, a former military barracks on the outskirts of Brussels. This year, the event is ramping things up even more with a completely redesigned arts programme. Showcasing specific in-situ commissions, the aim is to create works that have a wider impact beyond the festival weekend.

In 2023, the theme of the programme is centred around “those who make a city into an actual city: inhabitants, temporary visitors and communities who are often barred by city councils, project developers and urbanists”. Forward-thinking stage design has always been a key component of the event, and this year it will again be utilised to strong effect, aiming to amplify Asiat’s connective potential.

The music offering is equally inspiring and thoughtful, with the festival bringing together a line-up of in-demand international electronic artists. Alongside names like Shanti Celeste, Mama Snake and Jane Fitz, there’s a strong focus on homegrown talent. An ongoing collaboration with Brussels radio station Kiosk Radio, who will curate a stage line-up, is just one of the many ways that Horst demonstrates its commitment to empowering Belgium’s local scenes.

Horst Arts & Music Festival takes place at Asiat Park in Vilvoorde, Belgium, on 5-7 May 2023.