One Club and CultureCon back next-gen creative talent

The One Club for Creativity is partnering with CultureCon for the 2026 edition of its WAATBP event, shifting the long-running career fair towards direct career support for entry-level creative talent amid a challenging jobs market.

The two-day WAATBP event will begin on October 2 at The One Club's headquarters in New York, with a focus on practical career support including portfolio reviews, recruiter meetings and networking opportunities.

WAATBP focuses on career support

The Career Essentials programme will give young creatives access to in-person portfolio reviews and Ask HR Anything sessions with recruiters. The meetings are designed to provide practical guidance on interviewing and career development.

On October 3, WAATBP will move to the Brooklyn Navy Yard's Duggal Greenhouse as part of CultureCon, where it will host the One Big Idea creative brief competition.

Creative competition offers $5,000 prize

The competition is open for public entry, with three finalists set to present their ideas live at CultureCon. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize, one-year membership to The One Club, mentoring sessions with a One Club board member and an opportunity to help bring the winning idea to life.

Pum Lefebure, Board Chairperson and Co-founder of The One Club for Creativity and CCO at Design Army, will judge the presentations alongside fellow board members Jimmy Smith, Chairman, CEO and CCO at Amusement Park Entertainment, and John JP Petty III, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 14th And Market. The CultureCon audience will act as a fourth judge, with its preference reflected in real time.

CultureCon partnership expands career access

The competition is also intended to introduce CultureCon's audience to The One Club's work supporting the global creative community and its career readiness programmes.

Imani Ellis, CEO and Founder, CultureCon: "This partnership is rooted in something we care about deeply, which is democratizing access. The One Club shares our belief that talent is everywhere, but the opportunities to cultivate that talent need to increase. We're excited to join forces to empower the next generation of creativity, and to make sure the doors that opened for us keep opening for them."

Adrienne Lucas, Director, Strategic Partnerships & Programs, The One Club: "The One Club and CultureCon each bring something unique to the creative community. We have spent decades investing in creative excellence and career development, while CultureCon has built one of the most influential platforms for creators and entrepreneurs. Through this partnership and the creative brief competition at its center, we're creating new pathways for talent to showcase their work, gain visibility, and connect with careers they may not have known were possible."

WAATBP continues its diversity mission

Tickets for WAATBP 2026 cost $15 for One Club members and $20 for non-members. The event is supported in part by corporate partners Capital One, Ogilvy and WiP, with additional partners expected.

Originally established as Where Are All the Black People, WAATBP has broadened its mandate over time to address diversity within the advertising industry. The annual gathering brings together voices from across the creative community to examine challenges, celebrate progress and promote greater inclusion in the industry.

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