Programme

The World Design Capital 2026 year will feature an unprecedented scale of engagement and activity — with up to 450 projects and 2,000 events unfolding across the entire Frankfurt RheinMain metropolitan area, including Darmstadt, Wiesbaden, Hanau, Offenbach and Frankfurt itself. These events encompass exhibitions, workshops, urban interventions, design festivals, conferences, hands-on projects, and public programmes that involve residents, institutions, businesses, cultural partners, universities, and civic initiatives.

A significant number of these projects were selected through a public 2024 Open Call, highlighting grassroots creativity, participatory formats and innovative design practices from across the region. 

Thematic Focus

Under the larger banner of design for democracy, World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 has structured their programme around five thematic focus areas that will weave a powerful narrative through the year: from co-designing living environments and rethinking learning to exploring sustainable design cycles and engaging design in policy and public discourse. This framework ensures both conceptual depth and broad relevance for local and international audiences alike.

Programme Highlights

International programme highlights include the Open – Design Week Frankfurt RheinMain in June 2026; the Module Festival at the Kulturcampus Frankfurt in August 2026; the World Design Policy Conference in November 2026, which will bring together international voices in design, politics, and science; the WDC Pavilion, a modular and mobile platform touring key locations in region between mid-April and the end of September 2026, namely Bad Homburg, Offenbach, Wiesbaden and Darmstadt.

Locally, more information about the WDC 2026 programme is available year-round at the WDC Hub at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, which will serve as a key meeting place for activities throughout the year, including the WDC Campus.

Explore the programme