For the media

Brno Christmas 2025 full of stories

Every year, Brno Christmas brings an original visual style involving local artists. This year, the graphic designer and illustrator Tomas SMOT Svoboda. In his prints, he brings to life the stories of the people who appear at the markets – the family that sets out to see the Christmas lights, the granddaughter and grandfather who get caught up in the magic of Advent, the friends who don't miss the annual gathering for a brew. The characters are set in Brno's realities – important buildings and situations that can take place at Advent markets. But there is also the faithful friend of all, the Brno dragon in his striped sweater!

I was born in Brno, I live here and I assume I will stay here. Brno is important to me. And it's the same with Christmas - the older I get, the more important it is to me. We don't see as much of our family and friends during the year, and Christmas is about that time together. At the same time, now Christmas campaigns start in early autumn, it's become a purely commercial holiday and puts a lot of pressure on us. And I wanted my illustrations to show Christmas as we want it to be. To get all the emotions of coming together and being together. So I designed several visuals to show more of those situations. Equally important for me is Brno itself and its architecture. And I wanted to connect these two worlds - the material and the immaterial.

Tomas SMOT Svoboda

Tomas SMOT Svoboda

He has loved drawing since childhood, studied architecture, excelled as a baseball player, and immersed himself fully in drawing after his sports career ended. In addition to Brno Christmas, he has worked for Spotify, and projects close to his heart include the Paraple Centre and the Czech Baseball Association, and he is most proud of having written and illustrated his own children's book – Up to the Clouds – which introduces young readers to the magic of aviation. He is now preparing a second volume on shipping. "Maybe it has something to do with male vanity, that feeling of wanting to leave something behind. And those books represent exactly that for me.“

Press releases

The best Christmas after the one at home? The one in Brno!

When Brno was chosen as the European Capital of Christmas for 2024, everyone was delighted, but no one was surprised. Brno's Christmas markets are renowned, offering a relaxed, fun, friendly atmosphere, a mix of the traditional and the modern, dozens of stalls, hundreds of concerts and thousands of experiences. Brno Christmas, which is organised by TIC BRNO on Freedom Square, Dominican Square and the Old Town Hall courtyard, starts on 21 November and runs until 23 December.

Brno is preparing Christmas and Advent markets. They will open from 14 November

This year, Brno is also preparing Christmas and Advent markets that rank among the top in Europe, which was confirmed last year by winning the title of European Capital of Christmas. Eight markets will be open in the city centre over an area of approximately two square kilometres from mid-November, with a diverse range of programmes, refreshments and accompanying activities. The first will open to the public on 14 November.

TIC BRNO presents a new visual for Brno Christmas 2025 and wants to involve the public in its completion

Every year, Brno Christmas brings a new visual style prepared by local artists. This year's graphics were created by Brno designer and illustrator Tomáš SMOT Svoboda. This year, TIC BRNO, the organiser of Brno Christmas, is also inviting the public to get involved in the creation and help complete the atmosphere of Brno's most popular event.

Contact for media

Hana Bánovská

Spokesperson, National PR

+420 775 911 269

banovska@ticbrno.cz

Conference

Within the project Christmas in Brno last year we participated in an international conference Town Twinning: Bright and Green Christmas in European Towns - Building a Sustainable Future, which focused on a sustainable approach to Christmas events in European cities. Here the eventsheet from this conference is available.