WDC 2026: Kick-off
A total of seven programme tracks are planned in line with the guiding theme "Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life’, the aim is to make it possible to experience how design can strengthen democracy and bring about positive change in the region. In addition, events will create central meeting points and inspiring platforms for design in Frankfurt Rhine-Main. The programme will be successively expanded over the coming months.
‘2026 will be an exciting year. I am really looking forward to it. The Frankfurt Rhine-Main region will be a metropolis of design, World Design Capital 2026. I am very much looking forward to all the many large and small projects in the city districts and in the region on the topic of democracy education. Because that is the core of WDC: using the means of design and culture to strengthen our precious democracy, which is currently more fragile than ever. With WDC 2026, Frankfurt has the unique opportunity to position itself with all its potential - as a creative, economic, but also social and sustainable city, also internationally. Now the planning is becoming concrete. The next step has been taken to get the entire region excited about the major WDC 2026 project,’ says City Councillor and Head of Cultural Affairs Dr Ina Hartwig.
During last year's open call, over 1,000 project ideas, participation and cooperation offers, space proposals and support offers were submitted. These, together with collaborations and own events, now form the basis for the preliminary programme, which will take place in 2026 under the theme Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life.
The steps defined so far are:
Save Democratic Spaces - Protecting and creating spaces of opportunity aims to strengthen public spaces worthy of protection, such as the GündiWest home for formerly homeless people or the Kulturcampus Frankfurt on the former Bockenheim university site.
Better together – In good company promotes community and brings people together in very different contexts, in the Kiosk of Solidarity X Drogensozialarbeit FFM (AT) or at the city festival Kelkheim kann's - Straße der Vielfalt.
With all Senses – Mit allen Sinnen traces democracy through dance at BEAT BY BITS (BBB) in the urban space or in cooperation with the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt in the anniversary exhibition A Step Ahead.
Moving forward – From the past to the visionary takes a decisive step towards digital participation in libraries in the Rheingau-Taunus district with Bibliotheken digifit.
Design in Schools – Design goes to school! Frankfurt RheinMain teaches design encourages young people to understand their surroundings as living spaces that can be shaped and changed, for example vacant shops in Frankfurt's Hauptwache underground station with the project Domäne S. A cooperation project with the German Design Museum Foundation and the Polytechnische Gesellschaft Foundation aims to bring design skills directly into the curriculum.
Design meets Society – The design discourse on the expanded concept of design illustrates how design drives change, using type as an example with the event series Typography for Democracy.
Cooperations with Universities - Programme with the region's creative university landscape creates a forward-looking network for the science of tomorrow.
The World Design Capital® (WDC) is a WDO initiative to recognise cities that use design as a driver of economic, social, cultural and environmental progress. Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) has been awarded the title for the year 2026 with the theme Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life. In previous years, the following cities were honoured every two years: Turin (Italy), Seoul (South Korea), Helsinki (Finland), Cape Town (South Africa), Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei), Mexico City (Mexico), Lille Métropole (France), Valencia (Spain) and most recently San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico) as the first binational award.
