Under the theme “Life. Spaces. Buildings,” from 9 to 13 June 2026 in the Brussels Parc du Cinquantenaire, the New European Bauhaus Festival aims to showcase EU and community responses to challenges facing citizens today. This year the Festival will focus on democratic engagement and on affordable housing.
Architects, innovators, policy makers and investors will come together with community representatives to show how an “inclusive, sustainable and high-quality built environment can foster community, strengthen resilience, boost competitiveness and drive the clean transition,” the European Commission explains.
The full Programme is available here. The Festival of the New European Bauhaus is free of charge and open to all.
The Festival of the New European Bauhaus
Taking its name from the Bauhaus movement developed by architects in early 20th century Germany, which wanted to develop crafts, objects and functional architecture for a broad public, the New European Bauhaus today is driving forward Europe’s clean transition.
The biennial Festival showcases the best practices of the New European Bauhaus, the European Commission initiative bringing the clean transition to built environments and to everyday life.
This year in Brussels, the Festival will be made up of a high‑level conference, an exhibition space of projects and product prototypes, cultural performances, hands‑on workshops and guided tours.
The opening ceremony on 9 June will see European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa joined by representatives of industry and the Ukrainian Parliament. Taking EU leadership as their starting point, this first day of the Festival sets high level messages for the event.
Jazz Sailor Quintet, which explores the parallels between sailing and jazz, opens the Festival with a musical interpretation of New European Bauhaus values, promising to “take audiences on a marine journey” with their music.
Olive residue furniture and oyster shell tiles
Wednesday 10 June looks at building a sustainable, resilient Europe, be it by rethinking the construction industry or by regenerating vacant spaces. Debates about housing, construction and climate-neutral design will be supported by real life tours of the many sides of Brussels, from industrial heritage in Molenbeek to highlights of the Art & History Museum collections.
Starting on Wednesday and throughout the Festival, around 80 exhibitors will showcase their ideas and prototypes, including construction and insulation panels manufactured from agricultural waste, furniture made from olive residues, and tiles produced from oyster shells and seaweed.
On 11 June speakers and visitors consider “scaling up” change. This includes expert debates on what democracy and communities mean in practice. Workshops and guided tours allow visitors to learn hands on how people are working to improve communities across Europe. At the same time, a line-up ranging from textile workshops to multisensory performances, or immigrant and non-binary people reclaiming their place in samba, will continue to interpret festival messages through art.
“A glance into the next chapter of the New European Bauhaus” is the headline theme for Friday 12 June. University experts will consider the skills and partnerships needed for the future, and how culture can be crucial to driving the clean transition. Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy, will have thoughts on the Festival’s key messages, while on a lighter note visitors meet up to consider “How NEB are you?”
The final festival day of 13 June focuses on people, culture and everyday life through immersive music performances, film screenings, and workshops including one on sustainable interior design. A husband and wife team will talk about their plans to swim across the Atlantic, and how this helps them teach schoolchildren about the marine environment.
Over its five-day residency in Brussels, the Festival aims to inspire communities to reimagine spaces, design better living environments and drive sustainability and inclusivity, bringing architecture and community action to life. This June, visitors will have chance to be at the heart of the New European Bauhaus movement.
