zur rechten zeit – when the time is right

xplore (and me) always took great pride in being conceptual, experimental and avantgarde. Creating the almost-sometimes-so-called magical space is always a struggle. You need to provide a certain amount of structure and guidance for people to feel safe to xplore&xpress, you need to install a space of awareness, a collective code of behaviour, a common agreement to preserve, respect and celebrate specific qualities while interacting with others: presence, clarity, honesty, kindness and humor, determination and tolerance… skills such as consent and collaboration, communication and creativity,

This embodied knowledge is the absolute pre-requisite for free expression, emotional communication, sexual permission and acceptance to happen – opening the magical space.

Organizing the last two editions of xplore I had decided for two days with a very structured and focussed program completed by one day of non structured open space.

This year will be more challenging again – allowing more freedom and choice and demanding more responsibility and (self) discipline: there will be no schedule, no time table at all. No workshop lists and announcements. We wish to surprise you, to mislead you, to let you find out, to slow you down. We will resist FOMO, forget past and future, refuse dates and deadlines and enter a time labyrinth, just guided by the big NOW

Everything will happen when the time is right.

All workshop and play spaces will be permanently open and allow free circulation. Some spaces will be dedicated to spontaneous open play, others will propose loosely structured environments where various facilitators will propose waves of collective activities. It is the responsibility of each individual to understand when an activity allows active participation, when it is more appropriate to just remain an observer and when it is the right time to join an already ongoing process.

The concept also refers to the instability and unpredictability of the times we live in. It is an invitation to let go of hope that things will get better, to let go of control and desire, to simply try to make the best out of all what is already there…

Be water, my friend….

 Felix Ruckert, January 2026

xplore 2026 will take place at Malzfabrik, Berlin, July 31 – Aug 2, 2026.

Program so far:

THE CENTRAL HALL – OLD WHITE MEN
Felix Ruckert, Peter Banki, Julyen Hamilton, Jay Wiseman

MASSAGE AND BODYWORK EXCHANGE
Shadow, Lorenzo Colocci

THE QUEER SPHERE
Beata Absalon, Rebecca Frances, Lou, House of Play

BITCHES ON THE ROOF
Anna Natt, Gillian, Uleshka, Torienne Banks & Fi

THE NOT SO SILENT SPACE 
 Juergen Grözinger aka YUVA, Anna Clementi

THE THINK TANK
Tobias Wieland

KIDS IN THE BASEMENT
Ashraf, Jule Velvet, Noemi, Dennis a.o.

FANTASY WORLD
Julius Elo, Juliette Dragon, Angela Lamprianidou

More on the xplore website: https://xplore-berlin.de/