Name: Steinach Sculptor Symposium 2026
Start: 2026-06-29T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-04T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Schlosshof Steinach

Sculptor Symposium Steinach

About Sculptor Symposium Steinach

The Steinach Sculptor Symposium is one of Thuringia's most established sculptor events. In the historic courtyard of Steinach Castle in the Sonneberg district, internationally renowned sculptors meet annually to create new wood and stone sculptures over a week in front of visitors' eyes. The 20th anniversary edition runs from June 29 to July 4, 2026 — opening traditionally on June 29 at 10 a.m. by the mayor. Accompanying events: arts and crafts market, live music, and family program. The finished works permanently enrich the public spaces of the town.

Dates 29 Jun — 04 Jul 2026

Venue Steinach (16072)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Sculptor Symposium Steinach — edition 2026

The 20th Steinach Sculptor Symposium runs from June 29 to July 4, 2026, in the historic courtyard of Steinach Castle. Five sculptors will create new works from wood and stone over a week in front of visitors. Opening on June 29 at 10 a.m. by the mayor. Accompanying program: arts and crafts market, live music. Free admission.

Program June 29 – July 4, 2026

The 20th anniversary edition follows the proven format of previous years, supplemented by special exhibitions of works from 20 years of symposium history.

Schedule for the Week

Mon 29.6. — Opening ceremony at 10 a.m. in the castle courtyard by the mayor; first sculpture work begins; arts and crafts market opens
Tue 30.6. – Fri 3.7. — Daily work by the sculptors in the castle courtyard; studio talks; arts and crafts market; live music in the evenings
Sat 4.7. — Final day: presentation of the finished works, festive handover to the town, evening celebration event

Accompanying Program for the 20th Anniversary

Special exhibition with works from previous symposiums
Guided sculpture city walk (“Steinach Sculpture Trail”)
Expanded live music program for the anniversary

Highlights Sculptor Symposium Steinach 2026

20th anniversary edition — special exhibition with works from 20 years
Five sculptors work before an audience
Steinach Castle courtyard as a historic backdrop
Arts and crafts market and live music accompany the week

Programme Sculptor Symposium Steinach 2026

Highlights of the Week

Mon 29.6. 10:00 — Official opening in the castle courtyard
Tue–Fri — Sculptors work daily, visitors welcome
Sat 4.7. — Presentation of the finished works, celebratory evening
Daily — Arts and crafts market with regional vendors
Evenings — Live music in the castle courtyard

Prices Sculptor Symposium Steinach 2026

Free admission to the symposium and arts and crafts market. Some special events may have a fee.

Practical information

Practical information — Sculptor Symposium Steinach

Getting There

Steinach is located in the Sonneberg district in southern Thuringia. By car via the A73 (exit Sonneberg-Nord), then B89. By train: Werra-Bahn to Sonneberg, then by bus.

Admission

Free admission to the symposium and arts and crafts market.

Open-Air Sculptor Workshop

When the Steinach Castle courtyard becomes a sculptor workshop at the end of June, one of Southern Thuringia's special events begins. Five sculptors from Germany and abroad take their tools — chainsaw, chisel, hammer, mallet — and spend a week creating new sculptures from raw logs or stone blocks. Visitors can watch the process up close, talk to the artists, ask questions, and observe.

Steinach as a Cultural Hub

Steinach in the Sonneberg district is a small, traditional town on the southern edge of the Thuringian Slate Mountains. Over the years, the symposium has shaped the public spaces of the town with permanently installed sculptures — including life-size nativity figures based on Marolin models, which invite walkers on a small discovery tour through the town.

Program Centered Around Sculpture

In addition to the actual sculpting work, the symposium offers an accompanying program: an arts and crafts market in and around the castle courtyard, live music in the evenings, social gatherings, lectures, and studio talks. The opening ceremony traditionally takes place on the first day at 10 a.m. — the mayor of Steinach has secured a regular spot in the program over the years.

20th Anniversary in 2026

2026 marks the 20th edition of the symposium — an occasion for an expanded program and special exhibitions featuring works from previous years. The venue and concept remain unchanged: the castle courtyard, five sculptors at work, a meeting point between art, craft, and the local community.