ADCE Creative Week 2026 Returns to Barcelona

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) invites you to the second edition of the ADCE Creative Week 2026 From November 17 to 20, more than 500 creative professionals from across Europe will gather in Barcelona—at DHub Barcelona, the city’s Disseny Hub. The four-day festival is aimed at creative leaders, up-and-coming talent, and students, and offers a packed program of talks, networking, competitions, and gala evenings.

«Relationships» as the central theme of ADCE Creative Week 2026

The theme of this year’s edition is «Relationships»—highlighting an often-underestimated truth: Great work doesn’t come from ideas alone, but from trust, from teams that challenge conventional thinking, from clients who believe in a vision, and from communities that nurture creative ideas. ADCE Creative Week 2026 aims to demonstrate how it is precisely these connections that make creativity possible in the first place.

Creative Leaders Summit: New to the Program

One of the most important changes from the first edition is the Creative Leaders Summit – a gathering of experienced creatives and business leaders who will explore the central theme of «Relationships» from various perspectives. Through keynote speeches and open discussions, the event will explore how trust develops between creatives and clients, within teams, and across broader networks, and how it shapes the creative industries. The format deliberately emphasizes dialogue and connection to foster meaningful relationships among participants.

Twelve keynote speakers have been confirmed for the summit. The first names announced are: Mihnea Gheorghiu, Global Chief Creative Officer at Le Pub; Juliana Paracencio, Executive Creative Director at Droga5; Dustin Duke, Head of Brand Innovation at Amazon Lab; and Liza Enebeis, Creative Director and Partner at Studio Dumbar. Additional speakers and program details will be announced in the coming months.

Portfolio Review, AI Creative Challenge, and Creative Express

In addition to the Summit, the program offers other formats tailored to different target audiences. The Portfolio Review is aimed at students, graduates, and those just starting their careers, who can receive direct feedback from experienced creative leaders and recruiters while networking with agencies from across Europe.

The AI Creative Challenge returns with its tried-and-true tournament format: Participants receive unexpected briefs that they must bring to life using AI-powered tools—a format designed to showcase how technology and creativity can come together in surprising ways.

Another new feature this year is an additional edition of Creative Express: Selected young talents from the member countries will work in international teams to respond to a live brief within 24 hours. The format is designed to highlight the importance of cross-cultural collaboration and enable emerging creatives to build lasting professional relationships.

ADCE Awards and Gala Ceremonies

The ADCE Awards jury, the centerpiece of the festival, features leading creative professionals from across Europe. As was the case last year, the final round of jury deliberations is open to the public—visitors can thus attend the discussions that determine the Grand Prix and Special Awards.

To wrap up the week, the winners of the 35th ADCE Awards will be announced at the ADCE Awards Gala. In addition, the ADCE Student Awards Gala will take place, honoring outstanding student work from across Europe.

The ADCE at a Glance

The Art Directors Club of Europe is a nonprofit organization based in Barcelona. It brings together 25 professional associations and organizations from 24 European countries and represents more than 7,000 professionals in advertising and graphic design. Founded in 1990, the ADCE is part of The One Club for Creativity in New York. The new president of the ADCE is Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, Chairwoman of Jung von Matt.

Early-bird tickets for the public program will be available shortly at www.adceurope.org.