Zlín, April 29, 2026 – In just one week, Zlín will transform into a place full of creativity, inspiration and meetings. The 12th annual Zlin Design Week, organized by the Faculty of Multimedia Communications of Tomas Bata University, will start on Wednesday, May 6 and will last until Tuesday, May 12, 2026. For seven days, it will fill the city with exhibitions, workshops, discussions, a fashion show, a Design Market and other accompanying programmes at various locations across Zlín. This year’s theme of the festival is LOVE – for design, creation and each other.
The Zlin Design Week design festival will kick off in just one week. The opening ceremony of the Zlin Design Week festival will take place on May 6th at 6:00 PM in the courtyard of the Zlín Castle. It will also include the opening of the main exhibition All you need is design. “Zlin Design Week wants to open a discussion about how design can support cooperation and care for others, when the world often seems divided and focused on individual success,” says the festival’s press spokesperson Eva Ševčíková. The Zlín Castle will be the heart of the festival for the entire week, thanks to the support of the Živý Zlín organization.
One of the most anticipated points of the festival this year is the Fashion Show, which will take place on May 8th from 7:00 PM in the garages of the Faculty of Technology of the Tomas Bata University in Zlín. It will not just be a fashion show – the organizers promise an intense experience that perceives the theme of LOVE as a labyrinth of emotions: from initial tension and uncertain hints to authenticity and closeness. The evening will continue with the ZDW Party with Slovak performers FVLCRVM, DJ Lipi and Kristie Kardio. Tickets for both events can be purchased on the smsticket.cz portal.
The festival is traditionally associated with the international Best in Design competition, which supports young designers from all over the world. It will be on the programme on Saturday, May 9. From 6:00 PM, you can look forward to the opening of the Best of ’26: Made with Passion exhibition in the G18 gallery, which will present the works of the competition’s finalists from all over the world. This will be followed by the Best in Design Awards Ceremony, which will be open to the public completely free of charge for the first time this year and will take place in the Zlín Congress Center from 8:00 PM. Karel Semotam will guide the audience throughout the evening with the musical accompaniment of the Fashion Strings quartet. The festive event will end with an afterparty, which, like the rest of this programme part, will be free for visitors.
Sunday evening, May 10th, will be part of the programme Flash Talks, powered by PechaKucha at the Malá scéna Theater. The dynamic format of short presentations will offer ten speakers a space to share inspiring projects from the field of design and creative industries – this year, for example, designers of new Czech beer mugs, the creator of the visual identity of Mariánské Lázně, or Brno architectural studio ČTYŘSTĚN.
Accompanying program
Visitors can also expect a number of other programmes. Throughout the festival week, Design CANTEEN will be available – a popular discussion format that will connect creatives, experts and the public with an interest in design and create a space for sharing inspiration and networking. On Sunday, May 10, there will be an outdoor Design Market at Tržiště pod Kaštany, where visitors will be able to purchase fashion accessories, jewelry, stationery, flowers and other original products from designers and creators. Throughout the week, the festival will offer workshops for experts, the public and schoolchildren. Those interested can take part in educational and practical workshops and will also be able to try out creative techniques such as linocut or working with textiles.
“This year also brings new formats: Wine, Dine & Design – an intimate meeting connecting design, gastronomy and networking – and ZDW Swap & morning disco, which will offer a space for exchanging clothes and support a more sustainable approach to fashion. There will also be guided city walks focused on the design and architecture of Zlín,” adds the festival’s press spokesperson Eva Ševčíková.
The festival is largely free and admission is free to most venues. Some parts of the programme require prior registration via an online form. Selected events are chargeable and tickets can be purchased on the smsticket.cz portal. The complete program and further information can be found at www.zlindesignweek.com.
