Refresh 2026: Free Festival of Swiss Arts + Tech at SF’s Pier 17 (March 4-7)
Swissnex in San Francisco presents REFRESH 2026, a free 4-day festival at Pier 17 opening Wednesday, March 4, featuring keynotes, masterclasses, and an art exhibition running until April 10th. It brings together acclaimed designers, artists, and researchers from Switzerland and the US to envision possible futures and new directions for design and the arts. The festival is a partnership between the Department of Design and the Immersive Arts Space of the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), and Swissnex in San Francisco.
This 7th edition of REFRESH, traveling outside of Europe for the first time, titled “Algorithmic Entanglements”, reflects the impact of digital technologies on society and planetary well-being. The group exhibition features games, video works, and interactive installations which highlight the crucial role of creative practitioners and thinkers who engage critically and responsibly with digital transformation.
Exhibited artworks include a larger-than-life “Balenciaga” pope jacket which questions synthetic image generation, and its dangerous potential to misinform. Another piece is an industrial robot fitted with circular screens as eyes, reflecting how robotics and industrial automation exist outside the realm of factory floors.
Festival Overview
Wednesday, March 4
5:30pm // Curator-Led Exhibition Tour with Maike Thies
6pm // Opening Night & Keynote: Worldbuilding – Liminal Bodies
Thursday, March 5
11am // Exhibition Tour
2pm // Curator-Led Exhibition Tour with Maike Thies
6pm // Keynote: Futures of Uncertainties – New Ecologies
Friday, March 6
11am // Exhibition Tour
2pm // Curator-Led Exhibition Tour with Maike Thies
6pm // Keynote: Algorithmic Entanglements – Digital Literacy
Saturday, March 7
11am // Exhibition Tour
12pm // Masterclass: You’re Absolutely Right!
2pm // Masterclass: Anatomy of Non-Fact: The Boardgame
During the REFRESH Festival, the exhibition is open to the public daily from 11am to 6pm, March 5–7 with self-guided tours (drop in) and guided tours (registration required).
Wednesday, March 4
Swissnex in San Francisco presents REFRESH 2026, a free 4-day festival at Pier 17 opening Wednesday, March 4, featuring keynotes, masterclasses, and an art exhibition running until April 10th. It brings together acclaimed designers, artists, and researchers from Switzerland and the US to envision possible ...
Thursday, March 5
Swissnex in San Francisco presents REFRESH 2026, a free 4-day festival at Pier 17 opening Wednesday, March 4, featuring keynotes, masterclasses, and an art exhibition running until April 10th. It brings together acclaimed designers, artists, and researchers from Switzerland and the US to envision possible ...
Friday, March 6
Swissnex in San Francisco presents REFRESH 2026, a free 4-day festival at Pier 17 opening Wednesday, March 4, featuring keynotes, masterclasses, and an art exhibition running until April 10th. It brings together acclaimed designers, artists, and researchers from Switzerland and the US to envision possible ...
Saturday, March 7
Swissnex in San Francisco presents REFRESH 2026, a free 4-day festival at Pier 17 opening Wednesday, March 4, featuring keynotes, masterclasses, and an art exhibition running until April 10th. It brings together acclaimed designers, artists, and researchers from Switzerland and the US to envision possible ...
