Festival Programme 2026

Festival programme

The Erlangen International Comics Festival takes place every two years; it is the largest festival for comic art and graphic literature in the German-speaking world and one of the most important in Europe. For four days, everything in the centre of this university town in Middle Franconia revolves around the Ninth Art. In and around the Erlangen’s Schlossgarten, there are exhibition tents, displays, spaces for readings, lectures, talks, workshops and much more. With “Kinder lieben Comics”, young readers have their own festival within the festival, whilst the prestigious Max and Moritz Award honours the best new publications of the past two years. The Erlangen International Comics Festival is being supported for the sixth time by its title sponsor, DATEV eG from Nuremberg. The Cultural Office of the City of Erlangen, which organises the event, expects over 25,000 visitors.

The Comic Fair, traditionally held in specially erected marquees in the city centre, forms the heart of the Erlangen International Comic Salon. Over 300 exhibitors – publishers, comic book retailers, university comic classes, independent small publishers, individual artists and self-publishers – present their work here. German avant-garde, international graphic novels, Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées, American superheroes and Japanese manga – numerous new releases will be presented to the public for the first time, and around 500 artists from all over the world can be seen at work drawing and signing their books. Well over 200 individual events, readings, lectures, talks and discussions accompany the fair and exhibition programme.

Two major exhibitions are opening even before the festival begins. Since 14 March, the Kunstpalais, in collaboration with the Comic-Salon, has been presenting “Christoph Niemann. To the point”, a major retrospective of the work of Germany’s best-known illustrator. From 3 May, the Stadtmuseum will be hosting “What’s so funny about that? The comical art of Walter Moers”, the first major retrospective of the illustrator and author in southern Germany will be on display at the Stadtmuseum, in collaboration with the Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen. During the festival, a retrospective at the Kunstmuseum Erlangen is dedicated to comic pioneer Isabel Kreitz, with a focus on comics without text – silent comics – and a celebration of The Simpsons. Things take a political turn with #iceoutcomics from the USA and “Stories from Undocumented People”, whilst the scientific angle is covered by an aesthetic exploration of the world of quantum physics. Numerous other exhibitions, some in collaboration with comic publishers, showcase artists and their latest works.

A few days ago, a spacious new event centre, the Kultur- und Bildungscampus (kubic), opened in Erlangen; alongside Schlossplatz and the Schlossgarten, this will be the second heart of the 22nd International Comic Salon. Covering a floor space of nearly 9,000 square metres, it will host the “Kinder lieben Comics” festival, parts of the trade fair, the Comic Solidarity presence and numerous events.

The Max und Moritz Award is the most important distinction for graphic literature in the German-speaking world. One of the highlights of the Salon is the Max und Moritz Gala (Friday, 5 June, 8:30 pm) at the Markgrafentheater. Twenty-five titles have been nominated for the awards, which are presented in various categories. Posy Simmonds has already been confirmed as the winner of the award for outstanding lifetime achievement.

In 2026, DATEV eG will be the title sponsor of the Erlangen International Comic Salon for the sixth time. As an IT service provider for tax consultants, auditors and lawyers as well as their clients, such as small and medium-sized enterprises, and local authorities, the cooperative is one of the largest employers in the Nuremberg metropolitan region and, at the same time, one of Europe’s leading software houses.

Please consult the PDF-Download for detailed information on the programme.

Further information
The full programme will be available from the second week of May at www.comic-salon.de. The “My Salon” feature will also be available there, allowing you to put together your own personalised festival programme. A free programme booklet will be published in mid-May.

Main venues
Exhibition halls on Schlossplatz and in the Schlossgarten, Kultur- und Bildungscampus (kubic), Palais Stutterheim, Stadtmuseum and numerous other venues in the city centre

Trade fair and exhibition opening hours
Thursday, 4 June 2026: 12:00 to 19:00
Friday and Saturday, 5 June and 6 June 2026: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sunday, 7 June 2026: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Admission prices
Day ticket: 15,- / con. 7.50 Euro
Festival pass: 40,- / con. 20,- Euro

Concessions for children and young people aged 6 to 14 (inclusive), holders of the ErlangenPass and the Aktiv-Card, and people with disabilities (with a disability rating of 50% or more). Free admission for carers accompanying people with disabilities who have a ‘B’ mark on their ID card. Children under 6: free admission!

Tickets
Advance booking at www.comic-salon.de and www.reservix.de, at the usual advance booking offices in the Erlangen, Nuremberg, Fürth and Bamberg areas, and at ReserviX advance booking offices throughout Germany (advance booking fees apply). Box offices on the event days 4 to 7 June at Schlossplatz as well as in the Redoutensaal, kubic, Kunstpalais, Stadtmuseum and Kunstmuseum.

Organiser
City of Erlangen – Cultural Office
Department Festivals and Programmes
Gebbertstraße 1, 91052 Erlangen – Germany
Tel. +49 (0)9131 86-1408
Email: comicsalon@stadt.erlangen.de
Website: www.comic-salon.de