Plan a year of insights and entertainment with Monocle’s 2026 cultural calendar
Pick up a fresh new diary and fill the forthcoming 12 months with art, books, design, fashion and more from our rundown of the events not to be missed in the year ahead.
January
11 to 13 January
Honolulu Defense Forum, Honolulu
The first, and perhaps most glamorous, defence forum of the year. More than 400 US and allied government officials will descend on the Hawaiian capital for two days of conversation about the Indo-Pacific.
pacforum.org
13 to 16 January
Pitti Immagine Uomo, Florence
The Florentine fashion staple returns with a new theme: motion. With an increasing focus on technicality in clothing, the 109th edition of this venerable fair is a must-visit.
pittimmagine.com
27 to 30 January
Copenhagen Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2026, Copenhagen
copenhagenfashionweek.com
February
3 to 5 February
World Governments Summit, Dubai
Under the title “Shaping Future Governments”, this year’s WGS will see government officials and thought leaders from the public and private sectors convene in Dubai to take the temperature for the year ahead.
worldgovernmentssummit.org
5 to 7 February
Art Basel Qatar, Doha
The inaugural Art Basel in Qatar will feature 87 galleries from 31 countries, exhibited across Doha – thus launching an intriguing new calendar feature for the art industry.
artbasel.com
13 to 15 February
Munich Security Conference, Munich
securityconference.org
19 to 23 February
London Fashion Week, London
londonfashionweek.co.uk
March
4 to 8 March
Arco Madrid, Madrid
Spain’s international contemporary art fair has a friendlier feel than most of its peers. The 2026 edition – the 45th iteration of the event – will include more than 200 galleries from 36 countries. As ever, the Latin American art scene will feature heavily as Arco Madrid continues to act as an important bridge between Europe and the continent.
ifema.es
9 to 13 March
Mipim, Cannes
Mipim is one of the world’s leading real estate festivals, and this year’s edition will spotlight innovation and sustainability. The fair’s attendees will come bearing an estimated $4trn (€3.47trn) in assets – a figure not to be sniffed at.
mipim.com
April
8 to 12 April
Pad Paris, Paris
padesignart.com
21 to 26 April
Salone del Mobile, Milan
Milan’s buzzy hub of design will return to the Fiera Milano in Rho for 2026 – highlighting the best-in-class of global design work. Our editors will be there in force.
salonemilano.it
May
4 to 7 May
Arabian Travel Market, Dubai
The Arabian Travel Market was inaugurated in Dubai in 1994 and its star has risen in tandem with its host city, which is increasingly seen as a place to holiday as well as do business in. This year’s edition will include stalls covering emerging sectors of the industry, including space tourism.
wtm.com
9 May to 22 November (vernissage: 6 to 8 May)
61st International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
The art world’s version of the Olympics returns to the canals of Venice in May. Don’t miss Qatar’s new pavilion in the Giardini (the first to be built there since 1995), the colourful work of Great Britain’s representative, Lubaina Himid, and Australia’s Khaled Sabsabi, whose selection is a political hot potato down under.
labiennale.org
12 to 23 May
Cannes Film Festival, Cannes
Cannes is the golden tentpole of the film festival season. In 2025 dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi became the fourth person to win the Palme d’Or, the Golden Bear in Berlin and the Golden Lion in Venice. Can another director repeat that feat?
festival-cannes.com
June
4 to 5 June
Swiss Economic Forum, Interlaken
Hosted at the Kursaal Interlaken building on the isthmus between lakes Thunersee and Brienzersee, near Berne, Switzerland’s pre-eminent economics event features high-profile speakers from the business, politics and science worlds.
swisseconomic.ch
18 to 21 June
Art Basel, Basel
Though Art Basel Paris has prompted much chatter about the status of Basel’s original international art fair, it still has much to offer. In particular, the features and installations in the Unlimited sector, which showcases large-scale works in Basel’s Messeplatz.
artbasel.com
July
6 July to 4 October
Les Rencontres d’Arles, Arles
Known as the capital of photography, Les Rencontres d’Arles has earned a global reputation since its first summer exhibition in 1970. This year revives its Discovery Award for emerging artists.
rencontres-arles.com
August
Dates to be confirmed
Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, Australia
For those who are looking to prettify their walls without breaking the bank, the Affordable Art Fair returns to Melbourne with a range of contemporary pieces available – all capped at a maximum price of AU$10,000 (€5,600).
affordableartfair.com/fairs/melbourne
September
2 to 6 September
Habitare, Helsinki
Taking place across five days in the Finnish capital, this furniture and interior design trade fair is a platform for celebrating trends and innovation driving forward the homeware design industry.
habitare.messukeskus.com
16 to 20 September
Art Rio, Rio de Janeiro
The 16th edition of Art Rio will host global curators and collectors, offering an opening into the burgeoning Latam art market.
artrio.com
October
7 to 11 October
Frankfurt Book Fair, Frankfurt
This fair is never shy of highlighting challenges facing the industry. AI, war and the rise of populism were all mentioned in the opening speech at its last edition. But the fair also provides an important reminder of literature’s ability to cross borders and foster empathy.
buchmesse.de
13 to 15 October
World Aviation Festival, Lisbon
Six-hundred speakers fly through this Portuguese aviation conference in just three days. This year expect to hear a lot about unmanned flight and GPS jamming.
worldaviationfestival.com
Dates to be confirmed
Pad London, London
Now a staple of the UK capital’s design circuit, Pad has become a favourite of collectors and curators.
padesignart.com
November
3 to 5 November
World Travel Market, London
The World Travel Market is building a reputation as the world’s pre-eminent tourist industry event. Expect chat about growing Asian tourism and the overlap between tech and travel.
wtm.com
Dates to be confirmed
Dubai Design Week, Dubai
dubaidesignweek.ae
Dates to be confirmed
COP31, Turkey
December
Dates to be confirmed
Design Miami, Miami
designmiami.com
