In response to the idea of the post-anthropocene, a life after human exceptionalism, ecological catastrophes, political extremism, and accelerated global fossil capitalism, we aim to seek strategies and practices that help us overcome the stasis that originates from one dominant narrative proclaiming doomsday and no possible way out.

With Otherwise we want to encourage participants to stay with the trouble we are facing — some of us sooner than others. Acknowledging the fact that asymmetrical power structures, uneven distribution of risk and responsibility and a non-correlative cause-effect relationship are the nature of the Anthropocene discourse, we are looking for survival strategies nevertheless. Bringing together approaches ranging from aesthetics to activism, art to policy making, global south to north, Otherwise aims to reframe disaster as the potential for transformation — what is left otherwise?

With this first edition of Otherwise — a festival-as-research — we straightforwardly ask how to possibly live in the ruins of the Anthropocene — the epoch which marks humanity’s becoming of a geological force. With its small-scale format Otherwise means to provide a breeding ground, a space for the in-between, for collective overwriting, unsettling and enacting biases beyond individual and society, nature and culture, geology and technology. It creates a framework that challenges one-way perception and provokes collective becoming of its participant-collaborateurs. Sessions at Otherwise will engage the whole sensory apparatus ranging from talks to walks, meditation to simulation, inhalation to fabulation. Together we will playfully, subversively and collaboratively un-learn and re-think what planetary inhabiting means.

Registration is closed. There are no seats available anymore. We will announce further plans for collaboration later this year.

OTHERWISE is a small-scale festival-as-research which is why we limit participation to 50 people in total. Rather than providing infotainment we want to establish a long-term platform for collaborative transformation, un/learning, experiencing and experimenting between its participant-collaborators.

The core team of participant-collaborators comprises of the session leaders which leaves us with a very small amount of places we can offer publicly. Due to the intimate nature of the event we only give places to those who commit to our vision and want to attend all 3 days of the festival. Participation if free of charge; travel and stay has to be arranged individually and will not be covered by us.

Otherwise Festival will take place at Gessnerallee in Zurich - one of the prime venues for the production and presentation of works in the performing arts, both nationally and internationally. Its programme reflects a love of experimentation, innovative forms of performance, relaxed cross-over formats and high quality standards.

Gessnerallee is located in central Zurich, close to the main station.

Gessnerallee 8
CH-8001 Zurich