UNLOCK BOOK FAIR
CHEMNITZ 2025

Graffiti’s favourite event hits again, stronger than ever! 👈

Bigger and more ambitious than ever, this summer the Unlock Book Fair will bring together again the cream of the international graffiti publishing scene. Don’t miss our bustling four days of books, films, talks, exhibitions, tours and much more!

This time the Unlock Book Fair expands into four days. The weekend will be devoted to the book fair itself, while the additional two days will present most of our famed public programme of events — plus many new extra features. Unlock grows to become even more unmissable!

➔ When and where

A feast of graffiti books and zines

The fair teams up with the landmark exhibition HALLENKUNST in Chemnitz, Germany, as the city celebrates its year as European Capital of Culture.

HALLENKUNST presents a groundbreaking survey of the history of graffiti in Europe. Both the show and the Unlock Book Fair take place at the vast spaces of the Markthalle, a gorgeous 19th-century brick building in the centre of the city. Expect a spectacular bespoke setup for our tables, and a large cinematic stage.

Come and enjoy Unlock’s trademark scope, a deep dive into graffiti culture and into graffiti-related matters such as urban exploration, hobo culture, historical wall-writing, street photography and street art. Entrance to the event is free.

Our call for publishers
(and more!) is open

Our call is open to all actors in the graffiti book scene including publishers, authors, bookstores, distributors and printers, as well as to galleries and institutions putting out books about graffiti-infused contemporary art and culture.

But that is not enough! This time we are expanding our call at the book fair to the world of graffiti films. We welcome film producers, distributors and authors to present their projects with a table at the fair. You can sell copies of films, display info material, and show films on tablets or any other small, battery-powered tabletop screens.

➔ Apply for a table at the Unlock Book Fair

We are offering hotel grants!

We are happy to announce our special grants for exhibitors wishing to take part in the fair.

Many publishers in our specialised sphere run self-supported ventures that are far from being profitable, and we want to support their hard work by offering a large number of grants. Our grants cover the cost of the table at the fair, as well as a hotel room for two persons for the whole four days of event, breakfast included. You can opt for one of our grants when you apply through the form linked above.

In addition, our usual free lunch will be served to all exhibitors at the backstage of the book fair. We love to make your stay comfortable!

An unprecedented exhibition about the history of graffiti

HALLENKUNST 2025: From New York to Europe is a huge historical survey that traces the rise of graffiti from a local NYC culture into the phenomenon that took Europe by storm in the 1980s and ’90s.

Local Chemnitz culture producers Red Tower partner with German media outlet I Love Graffiti to create this mammoth show featuring over 70 artists and some exceptionally ambitious installations.

HALLENKUNST will be on show for only four weeks! The Unlock Book Fair will mark the finissage weekend of the exhibition. Don’t miss this!

An insane line-up of guests

Many of the iconic artists featured in HALLENKUNST will be in Chemnitz for the fair, and will take part in our public programme of events.

The line-up includes legends from all generations hailing from Europe and America. Confirmed guests include Blade (US), Shoe (NL), Shark (DE), CMP (DK) and Tripl (NL). More to be confirmed!

Most of our public programme takes place on August 28th and 29th, the Thursday and Friday right before the book fair itself.

A historical survey of graffiti books

Don’t miss our unique book exhibition with a selection of the most relevant and influential books about graffiti, one per year since 1970.

The book exhibition is curated by Christian Omodeo, director of the specialised Paris-based bookstore Le Grand Jeu.

Unlock Old & Rare returns
in an expanded format

Are you looking for that rare graffiti book for your collection? Do you have old books you want to sell? Unlock Old & Rare provides a space for collectors and sellers to come together, connect, and get precious books to the right hands.

After a first experience at the Hamburg History Museum for the Unlock Book Fair 2023, we are happy to present again this feature, now in an expanded and richer format.

Unlock Old & Rare takes place on August 29th, the Friday right before the book fair itself. We welcome collectors who want to set up a table to display and sell their items.

If you want to take part in this special feature with your used books, please apply below. We are particularly interested in rare and sought-after graffiti-related titles from the 1970s and later decades.

➔ Apply for a table at Unlock Old & Rare

A special film program on a cinematic screening setup

Film and video have been part of our program since the 2017 fair in Berlin, but this time they become a full-blown feature. Screenings take place at the cinematic setup of the HALLENKUNST stage.

We are cooking a program of special and rare films about graffiti and related fields that is sure to please and surprise even the nerdiest among our fanbase. Join us in this celebration of graffiti and films!

In addition to our curated program, we open our screen to the people out there who are pushing films on our favourite topics. If you are an author, producer or distributor and wish to present a film, please apply below. We are looking for films about all things graffiti, and also about urban exploration, hobo culture, historical wall-writing, and street art.

➔ Apply to our film program

WHEN AND WHERE

The event takes place at the Chemnitz Markthalle, in the centre of the city of Chemnitz, alongside the exhibition HALLENKUNST.

➔ Chemnitz Markthalle
An d. Markthalle
09111 Chemnitz

➔ PUBLIC PROGRAMME
Thursday 28, 4—10pm
Friday 29, 12am—10pm
Saturday 30, 8—10pm

➔ OLD & RARE
Friday 29, 3—7pm

➔ BOOK FAIR
Saturday 30, 11am—9pm
Sunday 31, 11am—5pm

➔ GUIDED TOURS
Thursday 28 before 4pm
Sunday 31 after 5pm

ABOUT THE FAIR

The Unlock Book Fair Chemnitz 2025 is produced by Unlock Bureau, Red Tower and I Love Graffiti in collaboration with HALLENKUNST for Chemnitz European Capital of Culture 2025.

Director: Javier Abarca
Program development: Unlock Bureau, Red Tower
Head of production: René Kastner
Production: Red Tower
Communication: Unlock Bureau, I Love Graffiti

Don’t miss the feast of
graffiti books and zines!

📚🔥❤️🎉

Presented by

In collaboration with

With support from

UNLOCK BOOK FAIRCHEMNITZ 2025