A year of culture, art, literature and music
In 2025, the world's cultural calendar was packed with historic festivals and artistic showcases that transcended borders and united audiences through creativity and community.
One of the standout global celebrations was the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, the world's largest arts festival, featuring thousands of performances spanning theatre, comedy, dance, music, and experimental art across the city throughout August.
From visual art to cutting-edge design, events like Art Dubai and Art Basel Miami Beach highlighted creativity's evolving landscape.
Art Dubai remained the Middle East's premier art fair, with cross-cultural dialogues on contemporary and modern art, while Art Basel in Miami Beach offered immersive exhibitions combining visual art, music, fashion, and performance.
Cities around the world also hosted cultural festivals celebrating local and global heritage. The Rio Carnival continued its legendary run in Brazil with spectacular parades, samba rhythms, and street parties that attract millions annually. In Karachi, the World Culture Festival 2025 was announced as a new cultural extravaganza featuring music, dance, workshops, and global traditions in one place.
Regional literary events thrived too. India's Jaipur Literature Festival brought together thinkers and storytellers from around the world in early 2025. In music, 2025 was notable for pushing genre boundaries and celebrating diversity. The Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, showcased creative national performances and cultural exchange in May.
Legendary artists also marked major milestones:
Erykah Badu toured to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mama's Gun, blending music with fashion and personal storytelling onstage.
Across Europe, grassroots and national events like Europe's Night of Museums offered interactive cultural experiences by opening museum doors late, with performances and creative workshops.
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards honoured the best recordings, compositions, and artists from 16 September 2023 to August 30, 2024, as chosen by the members of the Recording Academy, on February 2025. At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2025, Beyoncé won Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, Kendrick Lamar took Record and Song of the Year for ‘Not Like Us,’and Chappell Roan was named Best New Artist, marking a night of major wins for Beyoncé and Lamar, alongside rising stars.
Overall, 2025 was a year where culture, art, literature, and music not only entertained but also built bridges across communities and highlighted the evolving ways humanity tells its stories.
