Experiences

F&B

Vadim Otto Ursus

Vadim Otto Ursus is a Berlin-born chef who opened his restaurant otto in Berlin-Mitte in 2019. Otto, one of the city’s most exciting restaurants, serves down-to-earth share plates with hearty flavors focusing on seasonal, local produce. Having cooked at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants including under René Redzepi of Noma, chef Vadim and his team prioritizes foraging, growing, and fermenting their own food. Guests will be treated to sharing dishes using strictly regional produce from smaller organic farms around Berlin.

Sophia Rudolph

Berlin-born, Lyon-raised executive chef Sophia Rudolph creates contemporary European cuisine with French influences inspired by her background. She is the head chef of Lovis, an atmospheric restaurant tucked away inside the family-run Hotel Wilmina in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Chef Sophia and her team reinterpret traditional dishes, bringing to life a hidden place surrounded by lush gardens and interflowing courtyards. Guests will be treated well in the historic architectural venue, with bright, bold, and satisfying flavors.

Sophie and Xenia von Oswald

Sophie and Xenia von Oswald are sisters and food creatives living in Berlin, who co-own Rocket + Basil, a modern cafe in Berlin-Schöneberg. Their signature Persian lunch dishes reflect their mixed heritage growing up as German-Iranians in Australia. With over 15 years of food industry experience, the von Oswalds combine food styling and recipe development with event production and large-scale catering. Expect exciting dishes with influences from Iran, The Middle East, Australian cafe culture, Asia, and of course, Berlin.

Entertainment

A Song For You

A Song For You is a vocal ensemble project, made up of more than 60 vocalists and a revolving band, emphasizing the collaborative spirit within the Berlin neo-soul, RnB, and HipHop scenes. The project was formed by singer Noah Slee and creative director Dhanesh Jayaselan, with the emphasis on amplifying the talent that lies within the city’s live soulful music scene, and to create a space and platform for underrepresented voices at the forefront of their own artistic medium to be heard.

Refuge Worldwide

Refuge Worldwide FM is a community radio station based in Berlin working in solidarity with grassroots and non-profit organizations, amplifying music talent and issues they care about. Refuge hosts weekly workshops and training programs, and collaborates on projects around the globe with like minded collectives, radio stations, and activists. Refuge will curate the music programming for Arena* 2023.

Aerial Palettes

Aerial Palettes is a cultural platform presented through the conceptual lens, often blending multiple artistic mediums and ambient experiences. For Arena* 2023, Aerial Palettes will create a series of pre-dinner immersive art installations. The core focus is this: how can we invoke a state of self-awareness and focus after an elongated period of disruption? Expect multiple stages drawing the observer into an sensory ecosystem using light, color, scent, sound, optical illusions, and organic materials.

Fletchy Boy

Fletchy Boy brings his background in choirs and classical piano to the dancefloor, adding live vocals and piano to original house music. Fletchy writes for the club, and his original tunes alongside live emotive vocals and keys create a unique and energetic dance experience, aiming to create a moment of introspection within a night of fun. His live act at Wilhelm Hallen will provide ample vibes for a night of grooving.

Wellbeing

Steph Cusack

Steph Cusack is a meditation teacher and retreat host, helping people to live more fully, feel more deeply, and think more creatively every day. She has a warm, intuitive way of bringing people together, especially around her lifelong passions of movement, music, and creative expression. Originally from Sydney and now living in Berlin, Steph divides her time coaching new teachers with her signature Mentorship program and hosting idyllic women’s retreats in Europe with her co-founded collective, she she.

Download our curated Berlin guide

If you plan to have a few extra days in Berlin or just can’t wait to explore while you’re in town, we teamed up with some of our Arena* contributors to curate a Berlin Guide for you to experience some of our favorites in your spare time.

Berlin guide