Czechia Heads to Frankfurt as Guest of Honour 2026 with Literature, Art and Music

Czechia will take centre stage at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 as the event’s Guest of Honour, presenting itself under the motto “Czechia: A Country on the Coast.” The theme draws inspiration from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Taleand uses the image of an imaginary coastline to highlight Czech culture’s long-standing openness to international influences.

The project extends far beyond the five days of the world’s largest book fair. Throughout 2026, Czech literature, visual arts, theatre, film and music will be presented across Germany, Austria and Switzerland through a year-long programme of exhibitions, readings, discussions and performances.

More than 70 Czech authors are expected to take part in Frankfurt, representing fiction, poetry, children’s literature, comics and non-fiction. The literary programme will be accompanied by meetings for publishers, translators and literary professionals, strengthening international connections within the book industry.

A key feature will be the Czech Guest of Honour Pavilion, designed as an immersive space called “Imagination Interference.” Created by the architectural studio JinJan, the pavilion will host readings, debates, exhibitions and interactive installations, offering visitors a contemporary introduction to Czech literature and culture.

The cultural programme will also reach museums, galleries, cinemas and public venues across Frankfurt and neighbouring cities. Visitors will be able to explore exhibitions devoted to Czech photography, architecture, children’s book illustration and contemporary art, while film screenings and theatre productions will showcase the diversity of the country’s creative scene.

The Frankfurt appearance will cap an extraordinary period of international visibility for Czech literature. According to the organisers, more than 120 books by Czech authors have been translated into German and published between 2024 and 2026 in connection with the Guest of Honour presentation.

Organised by the Moravian Library and the Czech Literature Centre, the project aims not only to showcase contemporary Czech culture but also to create lasting international partnerships and bring Czech authors to new readers across Europe.

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