Komplekt and Sofia – hosts of the European Design Awards & Festival 2026
From June 11 to 14, the large-scale event will bring together the European design community and the creative energy of Sofia. Applications for the competition program are open until February 13, and the winners will receive their awards live in Bulgaria.
For the first time in Bulgaria, the European Design Awards and Festival—one of the most prestigious international platforms in the field of communication design—will take place. Sofia was selected to host the event in 2026, continuing the tradition after Luxembourg (2023), Naples (2024), and Ljubljana (2025). This June, the capital city will welcome its 20th edition. The rich festival program will be accompanied by the official awards ceremony honoring the most successful design projects – the European Design Awards, also known as the ED Awards.
The selection of Sofia as host reflects its growing role as a hub for cultural exchange, contemporary thinking, and the development of creative industries within a European context.
The European Design Awards and Festival will bring leading figures in contemporary communication design to Bulgaria, turning Sofia and the country into a center of the European design scene.
From June 11 to 14, the program of the European Design Awards and Festival 2026 will feature a two-day lecture forum on communication design with international professionals, open-access exhibitions, studio visits, a meeting of the International Council of Design (ICoD), practical workshops, and opportunities for exchange across various fields of communication design.
The festival is part of Sofia’s broader efforts to encourage international exchange in design, culture, and innovation, creating an environment for encounters between professionals from different sectors and generations.
“It is an honor for us to organize an event of such magnitude. Our mission is to turn Sofia into a place of inspiration, encounters, and new perspectives. Design is a bridge between the local and European design communities, but it is also an expression of a culture that drives society forward, challenges it, and enriches it,” say Adriana Andreeva and Boyana Gaurova from Studio Komplekt.
“Our support for the European Design Awards & Festival is part of Sofia’s long-term vision to invest in the city’s creative potential. Design is the way contemporary cities tell their stories, develop their environments, and build connections beyond traditional economic sectors,” comment representatives of Visit Sofia.
Visitors to the large-scale event will discover the work of established and emerging Bulgarian design studios, take part in curated urban walks with a cultural program, and attend the highlight of the event—the official ceremony presenting Europe’s communication design awards. The European Design Awards recognize projects distinguished by high quality, strong concept, innovation, professional execution, and impact on audiences.
Professional designers, studios, agencies, independent authors, and young talents from across Europe can submit their projects in a wide range of categories, including graphic design, visual identity, typography, digital design, packaging, posters, editorial design, and other areas of contemporary visual communication. This year, the competition introduces an updated and expanded category covering motion design, emerging technologies, identity, and comprehensive branding systems. The deadline for submissions to the European Design Awards 2026 is February 13, and the winners will receive their awards live in Sofia.
“Sofia is a city in transformation—raw, powerful, and filled with creative energy. You can feel that something is about to happen—this makes it the perfect stage for a festival that gives voice to bold ideas and new perspectives,” shares Demetrios Fakinos, Director of the European Design Awards and Festival.
Each edition of the festival is distinguished by a strong visual identity developed by a local design studio. The visual identity of the Sofia edition has been entrusted to the award-winning creative agency Next DC.
European Design Awards & Festival 2026 is organized by Studio Komplekt in partnership with European Design Awards and the Bulgarian Convention Bureau, with the support of OP “Tourism” – Visit Sofia and the Sofia Municipality, as part of the city’s efforts to strengthen its role as an open European capital for culture, design, and creative exchange.
Follow the festival program on the Facebook and Instagram profiles of Studio Komplekt, as well as on the websites europeandesign.org and studiokomplekt.com.
