The sixth edition of the New European Bauhaus Awards is now underway. The call for proposals opened on Friday, February 20, and the European Commission will close applications on March 22 at 7:00 p.m. CET.
Following the NEB Prizes 2025, which recognized an exemplary group of innovative initiatives that perfectly combine the NEB values of Sustainability, Beauty, and Inclusion, as was the case with the award-winning Superilles Barcelona, this year the EC has many new features in store.
As was the case in the Eixample district of the Catalan capital, there are an increasing number of initiatives that, based on the principles of the New Bauhaus, are making real and effective changes in built environments, promoting not only ecological transition but also improved quality of life, health, and well-being.
In this year’s edition, there are four completely new categories. Thus, the initiatives that may be selected and awarded up to €30,000 will address the following themes:
- Improving circularity, sustainability, and innovation.
- Strengthening local democracy and inclusion.
- The arts, culture, and heritage as drivers of change.
- Facilitators of the transformation of the New European Bauhaus.
For its part, the two parallel strands of competition will be maintained: the NEB Champions, projects that have already been completed with proven positive results in the field, and the NEB Rising Stars, initiatives led by talented individuals aged 30 or under that focus on concepts linked to the principles of the NEB.
All initiatives, both winners and finalists, will benefit from an “acceleration program” that will include personalized coaching, strategic guidance, and communication support, ensuring that they thrive beyond the important financial recognition.
Furthermore, in 2026, following the consequences of climate change, special attention will be paid to water-related challenges, from sanitation management to ecosystem maintenance and safeguarding access to drinking water. That is why the ‘Water Resilience Prize’ has been created, which will support a project with €20,000.
In total, there will be 13 winners in the NEB Prizes 2026, also taking into account the two selected in the traditional public awards, and 14 additional finalists.
Global reach: NEB in Japan and Brazil
Finally, another new feature of this edition of the NEB Prizes will be their global reach. Thanks to the European Commission’s good relations outside Europe, particularly with Brazil and Japan following the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, the NEB will award €20,000 to one project from each country and €5,000 to the two additional finalists per territory. The application period for this call will remain open until March 29.
This welcome and dialogue with international proposals will promote synergies between countries and the dissemination of the principles of the New Bauhaus throughout the world, improving its accessibility and awareness.
The NEB Awards participation platform is now available at this link. You can also find more information and tools to prepare your application on the EC website, such as the NEB Compass, the NEB Dashboard, and the NEB Pocket Guide. You can find them all here.
You can also check out the call for applications for the second edition of NEB Boost for Small Municipalities on our website, which will support 20 municipalities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants in implementing proposals based on circularity, carbon neutrality, urban and rural regeneration, and affordable housing solutions.
