Slovak Design Award 2026

Slovak Design Award (NCD as Slovak abbreviation) is entering a new phase and strengthening the presentation of design. Starting in 2026, the NCD will follow a biennial cycle: one year will be dedicated to the competition and awards, while the following year will focus on the systematic presentation and promotion of selected works. The next call for submissions will take place in 2027 and will combine both product and communication design into a single edition.

This adjustment stems from the effort to further develop the Slovak Design Award in a way that ensures its long-term professional quality, public relevance, and stable operation. At the same time, it responds to the need to shape its future development sustainably and in line with the available financial and organizational capacities.

An important part of this change is also a stronger emphasis on presenting the competition results. It reflects feedback from both the design community and the public, for whom a high-quality and comprehensive presentation of awarded and nominated works is considered one of the essential aspects of the NCD. This dimension helps to increase the visibility of outstanding design, document the development of design in Slovakia, and strengthen its social significance.

The year 2026 will be dedicated to works from the 2024 and 2025 editions, which will be presented together in a representative exhibition in Košice. This exhibition will build on the successful presentation of NCD 2024 – Communication Design in 2025, when the Slovak Design Award was showcased outside Bratislava for the first time, establishing a new tradition of presenting the award in other regions of Slovakia as well.

The programme will also include accompanying events and the preparation of the next competition edition. Details about the activities planned for 2026 will be published gradually on the website and social media channels of the Slovak Design Center, and information about the format of the 2027 edition will also be made available in due time.

The Slovak Design Award remains a key platform for supporting, recognizing, and presenting design in Slovakia. This change creates strong conditions for its stable development and an even greater public impact in the years to come.