35th ADCE Awards: A Record Jury from 25 Countries

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) has announced the jury presidents and the full jury team for the 35th edition of the ADCE Awards. The ADCE Awards jury is composed of more than 55 leading creative professionals from 25 European countries—a record in the competition’s history. Turkey is a new addition, set to join the ADCE network as a new member in 2026.

Dörte Spengler-Ahrens heads the ADCE Awards jury

As President of the Grand Jury, Dörte Spengler-Ahrens—Chairwoman of the Jung von Matt Group and recently appointed ADCE President—will lead the jury. She is considered one of Germany’s most highly decorated creative leaders and will guide the jury through the entire evaluation process, upholding the ADCE’s values and promoting European creative excellence.

The jury's work will begin with online sessions and culminate in live deliberations in Barcelona on November 17 and 18.

The Jury Chairs by Category

The following jury chairs will lead the individual disciplines: Riccardo Fregoso (CCO Southern Europe, Dentsu Creative, Italy) will chair the Film & Audio category. Márton Jedlicska (ECD, Publicis Media, Hungary) will chair Print & Outdoor. Juliana Paracencio (ECD, Droga5, UK) is heading up Interactive & Mobile. Liza Enebeis (CD, Partner, Studio Dumbar/Dept, Netherlands) is leading Design. Malcolm Poynton (former Global CCO, Cheil Worldwide, UK) is responsible for Brand Development & Experience. Alejandro di Trolio (CCO, Cheil, Spain) heads the Integrated & Innovation category. Sophia Lindholm (Independent Creative Leader, formerly of Forsman & Bodenfors, Sweden) leads the newly introduced Creativity by Industry Sectors category.

New Category and Expanded Rules for Participation

In 2026, a new discipline—Creativity by Industry Sectors—will be introduced for the first time. It is designed not only to recognize creative excellence but also to take into account the strategic, cultural, and industry-specific context of the submitted work. The jury for this category brings together creative leaders and corporate representatives.

Also new: Projects that have already been submitted to one of the recognized local competitions can now also be entered at the European level for the ADCE Awards. The complete list of recognized competitions and the submission requirements are available on the ADCE website. The deadline for submissions is September 25, 2026.

Public Jury Session and Creative Week in Barcelona

Following the success of the previous edition, the third and final jury round—during which the Grand Prix and Special Awards will be presented—will once again be open to the public. The session will take place as part of ADCE Creative Week, which will be held in Barcelona from November 17 to 20, 2026. Visitors will have the opportunity to observe leading European creative professionals as they debate and make decisions.

The winners will be announced at the awards gala on November 20, 2026. In addition to the Grand Prix, the ADCE Special Awards will be presented: European Star – Johannes Newrkla, Genius Loci, Green Star, and Equal Star.

International Reach Through a Partnership with The One Club

Through the partnership with The One Club for Creativity, ADCE winners gain additional international visibility: Their results are incorporated into The One Club’s Global Creative Rankings, which combines the results of The One Show, the ADC Annual Awards, the ONE Asia Creative Awards, the Type Directors Club competitions, and the ADCE Awards. For European agencies, the ADCE Awards thus also offer the last opportunity of the year to strengthen their position in the global creative rankings.

For more information on the 2026 ADCE Awards, submission materials, and tickets for Creative Week, visit http://www.adceurope.org retrievable.