The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) are Germany’s biggest public transport company and the beating heart of Berlin. Yellow on the outside, colourful on the inside. As a company the BVG is actively fighting against homophobia for years. On the Berlin Pride, one of Europe’s biggest Pride events, the BVG is usually playing an important role to set a statement for sexual diversity and tolerance. In 2021, however, due to Covid19, the Berlin Pride was cancelled. That’s why the BVG was looking for other ways and possibilities to reach as many people as possible with a strong symbol of diversity.

In 2021 the Berlin Pride event obviously couldn’t take place with millions of participants, at least above ground. So instead, the BVG went underground.

The result: the world's largest underground rainbow was created in a unique project at the Alexanderplatz underground station. The message: love.

Alexanderplatz is one of the busiest and most visited places in Berlin. It is a central square and traffic junction in Berlin-Mitte. A quarter of a million people use the station every day. It was the perfect stage for our project to reach as many people as possible.

The well-known artist collective TAPE THAT created BVG Underground Rainbow in close conceptual cooperation with the Berlin creative agency DIE BOTSCHAFT. In four days and four nights, five artists created at Berlin Alexanderplatz a spectacular total work of art from over 1000 meters of coloured adhesive tape. The oversized rainbow installation led down through stairs, corridors and walls onto the platform of the subway line U2. From there, the rainbow continued its journey through Berlin in a specially designed subway, connecting the hearts of millions.

Likes, shares and positive comments. The underground rainbow was a hit on social media, big news sites and even TV news bulletin.