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 Freedom. In her prints, she 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.
Do you have a favourite situation connected with Advent in Brno that you would like to see illustrated by Tomáš Svoboda on the posters or social media of this year's festival? Follow the social networks of Brno Christmas and join the competition in which you can win Christmas gifts from Brno!
Christmas graphics will appear not only on the posters of Brno Christmas or on the website, but also on Christmas gifts and souvenirs such as tin cans, canvas bags, chocolates, mints or badges. You will be able to buy them at the information centres or on the darkyzbrna.cz website.
Tomas SMOT Freedom
He loved to draw since childhood, studied architecture, excelled as a baseball player and after his sports career he immersed himself in drawing. In addition to Brno Christmas, he has worked for Spotify, his heart projects 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 to do with male vanity, the feeling that we want to leave something behind. And the books represent exactly that for me."
