The inaugural edition of Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW, held in 2025, established an international curatorial platform dedicated to exploring the role of contemporary art in shaping new perspectives on the defining questions of our time. Centred on the elemental theme of Water, the festival approached this vital force as both a cultural and ecological subject and a powerful symbolic medium - one through which environmental, social, and human narratives converge.

Throughout Baku, museums, galleries, historic landmarks, and public spaces were transformed into an interconnected cultural landscape. Artists responded to the unique character of each location through exhibitions, installations, performances, and interdisciplinary projects, creating a dialogue between art, place, and audience. Together, these projects explored our evolving relationship with nature and the environment while engaging with Baku’s distinctive architecture, rich cultural heritage, and layered history.

Bringing together internationally renowned artists, curators, cultural institutions, and audiences, Fly to Baku. Art Weekend 2025 laid the foundation for a long-term international platform dedicated to artistic research, cultural dialogue, and global exchange. As the first chapter of an evolving curatorial journey, the festival set the stage for future editions, reaffirming the transformative power of art to shape new perspectives and deepen our understanding of a changing world.