sofia

11 – 14 June 2026

Set in one of Europe’s oldest and most layered capitals, the European Design Festival 2026, produced and curated by Studio Komplekt and Melba Foundation for Design and Visual Culture, brings designers together for four days of dialogue and exchange.

Through talks, exhibitions, workshops and celebrations, the festival explores contemporary communication design and connects the European design community.

June 4-17

20 years communication design / Selection of winning projects
2007-2026

Open 24 Hours

@Lover’s Bridge

Tuesday June 9

Meeting of the Executive Board of the International Council of Design (ICoD)

9am – 4pm (closed event)
@Soho

PS Collection

11am – 1.30pm
@IKEA Sofia

Magic Between the Pages:  
The Journey of Bulgarian Children’s Book Illustration 

Exhibition opening
5pm – 6pm
@Ministry of Culture Gallery

Wednesday June 10

Meeting of the Executive Board of the International Council of Design (ICoD)

9am – 4pm (closed event)
@Soho

Workshop Designers and AI

1pm – 5:30pm
@SiteGround Mega Hall

Reform by IKEA & NAA

Exhibition opening
6pm – 8pm
@Gallery Rare

GAETANO PESCE

Exhibition opening
6:30pm – 8pm
@Gallery MNMNT

Thursday June 11

ICoD REGIONAL Meeting

9am – 5pm (closed event)
@Soho

Workshop by Fontfabric

Building a brand through
custom typography
10am – 4:30pm
@tbc

AND NOW EAST

Exhibition & Official Opening of the Festival
6pm – 8pm
@Gallery Cube Toplocentrala

Friday June 12

Sofia City Walking Tour

10am – 12pm
by Visit Sofia

ED-Conference | talks day 1

11am to 5pm
@Toplocentrala, hall 1

Open Studio Visits

4pm – 6pm
@Various Locations

National Palace of Culture Art Walking Tour

4pm – 6pm
@NDK

Book’n’Space

Opening

6pm – 7pm
@Gallery National Fine Art School

Sebastian Curi Exhibition

Opening in the presence of the artist
7pm – 8pm
@L44 Design Space

Saturday June 13

CITY WALK | GRAFFITI AND STREET ART TOUR

10am – 12 pm
by Visit Sofia

ED-Conference | talks day 2

11am to 5pm
@Toplocentrala, hall 1

ED-Awards 2026 Ceremony

7pm – 9.30pm
@Lumiere Cinema

EDA Winners Party

10pm – 
@Mixtape 5

Sunday June 14

CITY WALK | GRAFFITI AND STREET ART TOUR

12pm – 2pm
by Visit Sofia

SOFIA CITY WALKING TOUR

12pm – 2pm
by Visit Sofia

Curatorial tour IKEA & NAA

Finissage
4pm – 5pm
@RARE Gallery

Ceremony and Party

Talks & Conferences

Exhibitions

AndNowEast

The 2026 edition of the poster initiative AndNowEast premieres in Sofia as a central exhibition of the European Design Festival, continuing its focus on contemporary visual culture in Eastern Europe.

Book’n’Space

Projects for original spatial publications for children by graduating bachelor students from the Book, Illustration, and Print Graphics department at the National Academy of Art in Sofia.

Sebastian Curi at L44

Argentinian-born, Los Angeles–based artist Sebastian Curi presents a newly commissioned site-specific exhibition at L44 for the European Design Festival 2026.

Workshops

More design, less busywork: AI tools for designers

Designers spend too much time on the work around the real design work. In this hands-on workshop we will explore how AI can take on the technical heavy lifting and help you streamline processes, so you can make more time and space for the actual creative work.

Parallel Events

Open Studio Visits

Open Studio Visits offer a unique opportunity to step inside some of Sofia’s most prominent design and creative studios during the European Design Festival. Guests are welcomed by the teams, gaining first-hand insight into their processes, environments, and ways of thinking.

Sofia City Walking Tour

Discover the essential highlights of Sofia on a curated walk through its most emblematic landmarks. This tour offers a balanced introduction to the city’s ancient heritage, cultural layers and modern atmosphere – featuring key sites, lively squares and beautifully preserved architecture.

Sofia Graffiti & Street Art Tour

Explore Sofia’s vibrant urban art scene and uncover striking murals, creative street pieces and iconic graffiti. Led by experts from the cultural organization behind many of the city’s most notable street art projects, this tour offers an insider’s look at the artists and stories shaping Sofia’s creative landscape.

NDK Art Walking Tour

Dive into Bulgaria’s communist era through its most significant historical site – The National Palace of Culture. During the 2-hour-long tour inside The National Palace of Culture, find out about the history of socialism in Bulgaria, the pros and cons of the period, and the relation between the communist government and art, culture, religion, industry, and everyday life of the people.

Travel Information

TICKETS

FULL PASS

Full Pass 378,20€ / Last-Minute until 5.6 — 25% off — €283.65 (code: LASTMINUTE)


Includes access to all sessions and networking events on Friday and Saturday, awards ceremony, after party with a welcome drink, 2x lunch, main exhibition, goodie bag and Friday welcome reception, 4 student exhibitions.

*The registration fee does not include Design walk, Type walk and Workshops TipoRenesansa.

Early Bird Full Pass (up to 15.5) 341,60€ / Student Full Pass 85,40€Last-Minute until 5.6 — 25% off — €283.65 (code: LASTMINUTE)

Includes access to all sessions and networking events on Friday and Saturday, awards ceremony, after party with a welcome drink, 2x lunch, main exhibition, goodie bag and Friday welcome reception, 4 student exhibitions.

*The registration fee does not include Design walk, Type Walk and Workshops TipoRenesansa.

*A proof of valid student status is required at the time of registration.

DAY PASS(ES)

Friday Pass 122,00
Includes access to all Friday sessions and networking events, main exhibition, goodie bag and Friday welcome reception, 4 student exhibitions, 1x lunch (Friday).
*The registration fee does not include Design walk, Type Walk and Workshops TipoRenesansa.

2 Day Pass 244,00Last-Minute until 5.6 — 25% off — €183,00 (code: LASTMINUTE)

Saturday Pass
122,00/  Last-Minute until 5.6 — 25% off — €91,50 (code: LASTMINUTE)
Includes access to all sessions and networking events on Friday and Saturday, 2x lunch, main exhibition, goodie bag and welcome reception, 4 student exhibitions.

*The registration fee does not include Design Walk, Type Walk and Workshops TipoRenesansa, awards ceremony, after party with a welcome drink.

Award Ceremony
€183,00 /  Last-Minute until 5.6 — 25% off — €137,25 (code: LASTMINUTE)

Includes access to awards ceremony, after party with a welcome drink and a goodie bag.

LUNCH

Friday Lunch 18,30€
Drinks are not included.

Lunch is already included in all Full Passes, Friday Pass, and 2-day Pass.

Saturday Lunch 18,30€
Drinks are not included.

Lunch is already included in all Full Passes, Friday Pass, and 2-day Pass.

 

SPECIAL OFFERS

Quantity Discount
Companies, agencies, studios, university and high school lecturers interested in registering in groups of more than 5 people can contact edf2025@paideia-events.com for a special quantity discount.

Student Quantity Discount

If you would like to register a larger group of students, we can offer you a better price, please contact us at edf2025@paideia-events.com. *A proof of valid student status is required at the time of registration.

WORKSHOP & WALKS

Workshop Tiporenesansa Friday 73,20€
TipoRenesansa is the last place in Slovenia where one can experience how printing was done before contemporary technology took over the process.

*Duration: 2h. Limited number of places.

Workshop Tiporenesansa Saturday 73,20€
TipoRenesansa is the last place in Slovenia where one can experience how printing was done before contemporary technology took over the process. Print your own poster in a letterpress workshop!

*Duration: 2h. Limited number of places.

Studio Walk 12,20€
A Studio Walk is a guided tour to local design agencies who have taken upon them to welcome you into their offices, answer your questions and showcase some of their work. Duration: 3 hours. Limited number of places.

Type Walk 12,20€
A type walk will take us through the material, historical, cultural and linguistic diversity of letterforms in the heart of Ljubljana. The concept of a walk addresses a very important skill that is crucial to typographic education. How to observe type? How to understand what you are looking at? Duration: 2h. Limited number of places.