How the festival became a global movement at the intersection of design, art, and technology – plus what’s next for its milestone year.
Over the last two and a half decades, OFFF Barcelona has become more than just a festival; it’s a creative institution, a cultural movement, and a meeting place for designers, artists, and technologists who push the boundaries of creativity.
Founded at the dawn of the internet’s golden age, OFFF has evolved alongside shifting technologies, creative disciplines, and audience expectations while staying true to its roots as a space for connection and experimentation.
As OFFF celebrates its 25th anniversary, we spoke to founder Pep Salazar about its origins, evolution, and the festival’s ever-expanding role in the creative world.
From a digital playground to a global phenomenon
OFFF was conceived at a time when the internet was just beginning to reshape creative work. What started as an online hub for Flash animation lovers quickly became a live event that would eventually become a cornerstone of the global design community.
“OFFF was born just at the moment when the internet and global connectivity started for most of the world,” Salazar recalls. “This was a huge and curious moment as we began to connect with lots of people via websites, so we decided to launch a website to find Flash animators lovers and join together online – the most innovative thinking at the time!”
Pep Salazar. Credit: Chris Milne
Credit: Lola Vasco
Credit: Lola Vasco
It soon became clear that this community of creators wanted to physically meet other like-minded people, so it was eventually built into a live event. And the timing couldn’t have been better!
Barcelona was undergoing a cultural transformation, and OFFF found itself at the centre of it.
Salazar says: “It was a great moment for Barcelona and its cultural institutions that were looking for innovative formats and narratives. We can say it was the right place at the right time; we just wanted to meet and share, and this is still the spirit at OFFF.”
What Salazar didn’t imagine was that OFFF would become a global creative institution.
“I was surprised year after year, watching how this idea was turning into a professional event and thinking all the time, how we can make this organically better for those who attend,” he explains. “There were big challenges: connecting with the community, being curious about what is going on in digital and visual design, and, of course, management.”
That commitment to evolution is part of what has kept OFFF relevant. It has always been at the crossroads of design, art, and technology, balancing creative disciplines in a way that reflects the changing industry.
“It is a crossroads between creativity, digital tools, technology, thinking and beauty – design is all over, digital is all over, art is all over,” says Salazar. “I think over the years we have tipped the balance to include more motion and moving images while still staying true to our graphics and illustration roots, but… AI is here now… so let’s reassess the balance in a few years! Could be fun.”
Credit: Lola Vasco
Credit: Lola Vasco
OFFF’s role in shaping creative trends
Across its history, OFFF has been at the forefront of major shifts in design, branding, motion, and interactive technology.
“Web development, typography, branding, motion and VFX. I remember a talk that a speaker (don’t remember who) talked about something we now call Social Networks.,” Salazar recalls. “It was around 2007… we want to always be at the forefront of the social changes within the creative industry.”
But OFFF is also a space where unexpected connections spark new creative ventures. One of Salazar’s favourite stories is about the chance meeting of two digital pioneers in Portugal.
“I remember Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin met at OFFF Oeiras, Portugal, in 2008. They didn’t know each other personally, so we introduced them to each other. They kinda fell in love immediately, and a few years later, the first interactive music video using Google Earth technology and a unique narrative came to life and ‘The Wilderness Downtown’ from Arcade Fire was born. They are still partners in some multiverse platforms and creating great stuff together. I’m happy to say that OFFF was the matchmaker.”
Credit: Lola Vasco
Curation, community & the OFFF experience
OFFF is known for boundary-pushing speakers and experiences; staying ahead of the curve is no small feat. So, how does Salazar approach curating the lineup?
He says: “I learn from other speakers, I learn from other curators, and I keep up with what’s happening with the studios and creatives.
“There is always risk in creating a lineup, always doubts about if it’s going to meet expectations… but we have a great network of partners and friends that help us to be in first position.”
More than just a conference, OFFF thrives on community and energy through a combination of amazing content, press coverage, attendees, and a hunger to share, meet and learn. “All of this is in (mostly) sunny Barcelona, where you can be part of the coolest community, enjoy being outdoors, grabbing a drink, a bite to eat and enjoying yourself,” Salazar adds.
As the creative landscape shifts, OFFF has remained agile, adapting to everything from remote collaboration to AI integration.
“We built a metaverse (before MZ) to jump through the pandemic year. We had been working remotely until 2020 when we decided to move to a physical office, and now we are integrating some AI performances into our management systems to make everything more accurate and understand the times in which we live,” he explains.
That flexibility has allowed OFFF to expand across multiple cities across the globe while maintaining its Barcelona flagship as a cultural melting pot. Salazar adds, “Meeting local audiences, artists and creators, and partners has made us open and resilient to different cultures.
“This is a gift. I always try to soak up all of this culture and infuse it into our global event in Barcelona yearly.”
Challenges, AI & staying human
With OFFF celebrating 25 years, what’s the biggest challenge for the next decade? “Being human, unique and honest,” according to Salazar. “There are lots of small independent festivals around – mostly locals – but being global and remaining independent is our biggest challenge.”
And while AI is shaking up the creative world, Salazar is confident that OFFF will remain at the forefront. He says: “OFFF is already responding by inviting the new kids working with AI.
“AI is a tool, the same as Flash – now obsolete – and moving images over the web are part of our lives more than ever. No doubt it can be fun to observe it, and again, it is a pleasure to be in the first row to understand, see, and share what and how AI is transforming our lives.”
What’s Next for OFFF?
This year’s festival is going bigger than ever, with 100+ activities over three days.
Salazar says: “We are expanding how we use the venue. Using the ‘moat’ style water in front of the building, we will build a platform over the water to create a new and bigger design market.”
For those attending, expect the unexpected.
Looking even further into the future of OFFF, we asked Salazar what he expected the 2040 version of the festival would look like.
“I am a boomer, and we are a bit hard to change…So, I want to see it as it is today! But, in reality, I hope OFFF is still going in 2040, and I think it will be the most advanced design conference because it’s about understanding day-to-day creation, and OFFF is always one step ahead.”
