For exactly 30 years, the Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus program has stood for socially engaged art and culture for everyone. For over 20 years, it has been enriched by the annual World Press Photo exhibition.
World Press Photo 2026 will be on display at the Willy-Brandt-Haus from May 8 to 31. It showcases outstanding work by photojournalists and documentary photographers from around the world. The winning entries were selected from 57,376 submitted photos by 3,747 photographers from 141 countries. The award-winning works tell both well-known and overlooked stories, offering broad perspectives and intimate insights, showing conflicts and crises, but also resistance, resilience, and hidden traditions.
The World Press Photo Yearbook 2026, presenting the award-winning photographs and stories of the 69th annual World Press Photo Contest, published by Hatje Cantz, will be available for purchase in early May 2026. The Yearbook is published in six languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus (FkWBH)
The Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus was founded in 1996 as a non-profit association. Since the opening of the Willy-Brandt-Haus, the FkWBH has provided a varied, free program of events at the interface between culture and politics. In addition to the regular exhibitions, readings, discussions and film evenings are also offered to a wide audience.
Framework program
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Thursday, May 7, 2026, 7 pm (admission from 6:30 pm)
Opening reception
Speakers: Dietmar Nietan (Chairman FkWBH), Mariana Rettore Baptista (World Press Photo), Mirja Linnekugel (Artistic Director FkWBH), Paula Hornickel (Photographer), Chantal Pinzi (Photographer). Admission free | No registration | ID required.
Every first Thursday of the month, 2 – 3 pm
Guided tour (de)
Guided tour through the current exhibition(s).
Admission free | No registration | ID required.
Details
Individual appointments for groups can also be arranged: Daniela Zehe, bildung@freundeskreis-wbh.de
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 6 – 7 pm
After-Work Tour (de)
Exclusive guided tour of the current exhibition(s) after regular opening hours. The institution’s artistic director, Mirja Linnekugel, offers visitors the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the works on display in a relaxed atmosphere. Admission free | No registration | ID required.
Please check the FkWBH website for closing days and access regulations before your visit.
World Press Photo
Strategic Partners:
In Berlin with the kind support of the German Printing and Publishing Company:
