Interview with Pep Salazar - Director of OFFF Barcelona

Pep Salazar is Director at OFFF, a global platform for the creative industry that sets the trends for new imagery in the fields of design, art, and post-digital culture. He was the director of Digital Impact (2023, Disseny Hub Barcelona), the first large-scale exhibition of digital art in Spain. His professional expertise is closely linked to the creative and digital sector and has led him to become an executive director of the OFFF festival with over 40 editions held in Barcelona and worldwide. He has collaborated with such projects as Sónar, Teatre Lluire, CCCB, Fura dels Baus, L’Auditori, Mobile World Congress, among others.

OFFF Barcelona returns once again with the very best in creativity, art and digital design. A major international benchmark and a pioneer in its field, the festival will celebrate its 26th edition on April 16, 17 and 18 at its usual venue, Disseny Hub Barcelona. Since its founding in 2001, OFFF has maintained the same goal: to serve as a meeting point for the most innovative and outstanding talents in the industry, offering audiences a first-hand loo at their creative processes.

OFFF has become one of the most influential gatherings for the global creative community. How do you approach the process of selecting artists and speakers to ensure the program stays both inspiring and forward-thinking?

We look for excellence, novelty, risk, surprise, and above all, inspiration – a great deal of it. The selection process stems from observing, listening, and proposing. We follow the concentric circles of influence within the creative industry, but we also look beyond those circles to discover new perspectives and fresh creative visions.

"OFFF is a major meeting point for creative minds and talents who shape the visual culture of our world. It’s an open space for everyone, without barriers or backstage areas."

Many people describe OFFF as more than a conference — it’s a place where real collaborations begin. What kind of networking opportunities can attendees expect, and why do you think the festival is such a catalyst for connections in the creative industry?

We try to blend the spirit of a rock festival with the structure of a design conference. The atmosphere is open and relaxed, while the content maintains the depth of a conference. We move away from anything that feels too “corporate,” creating sincere and accessible spaces where natural encounters and conversations can happen. We don’t try to control networking – we prefer to let it flow organically.

OFFF is often considered one of the largest and most important festivals in Europe dedicated to creativity. How has the festival evolved over the years, and what makes its scale and community so unique today?

OFFF is a major meeting point for creative minds and talents who shape the visual culture of our world. It’s an open space for everyone, without barriers or backstage areas. At the same time, it offers a strong and carefully curated program that helps us understand the world ahead in terms of design and digital art.

With creatives coming from all over the world, OFFF feels like a snapshot of the global creative landscape. What trends or ideas emerging at the festival do you think will shape the future of the creative industries?

Just as it was 10 or 20 years ago, technologies, software, and digital tools often surprise us at first. But once they become part of our everyday practice, they simply become tools. What truly matters is nurturing talent, critical vision, and original creation — regardless of the tools being used.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of OFFF and its role in supporting the next generation of designers, artists, and creative technologists?

I still see OFFF as that great meeting point for inspiration. At the same time, it has become a powerful content platform – a repository of creativity and a window into what is new and emerging in the creative world.

📍 April 16-18 | Disseny Hub Barcelona

Don’t miss the international festival of creativity, art and digital design!

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For more information:

 Instagram: @offfest

 Website: www.offf.barcelona

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