LONDON, UK – D&AD Festival is back! Bringing the global creative community together to meet, debate and challenge the very essence of creativity. This year we’re asking one big question: Is creativity dead or alive?
We’re returning to the South Bank at various venues along the Thames, but this year, we’re doing things differently. For Festival 2026, you’re in control of your programme. You can choose the sessions you’re most excited about with tickets starting at £30. Drop-in during your lunch break to hear insights leading to work making the cut this year, directly from our prestigious judges, or take a day away from your desk to be inspired.
You can join a full day of skill-building with our newest learning labs or our President’s Lectures. You decide.
Across two days of programming, here’s what’s in store:
Fresh from the jury rooms, these Jury Insight Sessions offer the very first look at standout projects, emerging trends, and honest reflections on what’s dead, what’s alive, and what’s next across design and advertising.
Hear directly from the experts making the call on this year’s winning-work. Judges will reveal how they sift through thousands of entries to uncover the work that moves industries forward.
Expect sharp perspectives, real examples, and practical insights into how creative excellence is being defined in 2026.
Lectures may not have been your favourite part of school, but with:
Lisa Smith, Chief Creative Officer of Uncommon, at the helm, this is a series you won’t want to miss
Curated by our D&AD President and living design legend, this keynote programme brings together bold thinkers to explore what creativity looks like when it’s truly alive.
Across talks, interviews and screenings, speakers share how creative thinking drives progress, sparks connection and continues to matter in a world moving faster than ever. Expect powerful stories, fresh perspectives and moments of inspiration from leading voices across the creative industries.
Be among the first to discover this year’s Yellow Pencil-winning work.
Open to all, this extended showcase goes beyond the traditional award announcement, offering an in-depth look at the very best creative projects of 2026. Join Jury Presidents as they unpack the decisions behind the winners, reveal what made the work impossible to ignore, and share what creative excellence looks like at the highest level.
You’ll leave with fresh inspiration, sharper creative instincts, and a clearer understanding of how your work can meet the creative standard
Learning Labs is D&AD’s hands-on programme for brand leaders, creatives and in-house marketing and comms looking to strengthen creative impact in a fast-changing industry.
Drawing on the latest research, our Brand and Creative Lab reveals the behaviours and frameworks that drive commercially impactful work; and shows you how to embed them.
In our AI Accelerator, explore how AI can enhance creative thinking, accelerate production, and unlock new ways of working, without compromising craft, taste or authorship.
Attend one session, or choose both at a discounted rate.
Ticket information
Further discounts on tickets are available for students, charities/non-profits, freelancers, small businesses with under 10 employees and retired people. We have also put aside free tickets for people who have recently been made redundant. Please email [email protected] for more information.
A full program with speakers and more will be announced soon.
