ADCE names 304 finalists for 2026 Awards

An international jury of more than 60 creative professionals representing 25 countries evaluated 801 entries from 29 countries during online judging sessions in October

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) has announced 304 finalists for the 35th ADCE Awards, recognising creative work from 23 countries across Europe. Germany leads the selection with 54 finalists, followed by Austria with 46 and Spain with 30.

The final judging will take place in Barcelona on November 17 and 18, 2026, to determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, Special Awards and Grand Prix.

Germany leads the 35th ADCE Awards finalists

Germany accounts for the largest share of finalists, with 54 projects, followed by Austria (46), Spain (30), Georgia (29), Slovakia (23), Portugal and Switzerland (15 each), and Italy and Lithuania (14 each).

European competition opens to more creative work

For the first time in the awards' history, all projects submitted to participating local competitions were eligible to enter the European competition, regardless of whether they had won recognition at national level.

The change broadens access to the awards, giving more creative professionals the opportunity to receive international recognition and have their work assessed by a European jury.

ADCE introduces Client of the Year Award

The 35th edition also introduces the Client of the Year Award, extending recognition to brands and organisations that actively invest in and support creativity.

Building on the introduction of the Creativity by Industry Sectors discipline, the award will recognise the client whose projects achieve the highest overall recognition across this year's competition. The inaugural winner will be determined by the performance of client work submitted to the awards.

Public invited to final judging sessions

Following its introduction last year, the final round of judging will once again be open to the public. Attendees will be able to observe discussions and deliberations among leading European creative professionals.

Four Special Awards recognise European values

Alongside the Gold, Silver and Bronze distinctions, the competition features four Special Awards celebrating creativity that reflects Europe's cultural, social and environmental values:

European Star: Recognises work that embodies European values, including democracy, freedom, justice and peace.
Genius Loci: Celebrates creativity that captures the identity and cultural heritage of a particular place.
Green Star: Recognises projects supporting sustainability, the circular economy and environmental protection.
Equal Star: Rewards creative work that challenges discrimination and promotes inclusion.

Seven disciplines showcase European creativity

The 35th ADCE Awards attracted 801 entries from 29 countries, with 304 projects reaching the finalist stage. More than 60 jurors from 25 countries evaluated the submissions across seven disciplines.

The finalist distribution by discipline is as follows:

Film & Audio: 37
Print & Outdoor: 34
Interactive & Mobile: 46
Design: 68
Brand Development & Experience: 45
Integrated & Innovation: 36
Creativity by Industry Sectors: 38

The competition will also award four Special Awards, the Client of the Year Award and the Grand Prix.

ADCE Creative Week brings industry to Barcelona

ADCE Creative Week 2026 will take place from November 17 to 20 at DHub Barcelona. Organised by the Art Directors Club of Europe, the four-day festival will bring together creative professionals, industry leaders, students and other members of the European creative community.

This year's programme centres on the theme Relationships before Ideas, with activities designed to encourage professional exchange, collaboration and discussion.

Programme highlights include:

Creative Leaders Summit: Featuring 16 speakers from the creative and business sectors across 13 sessions, including Sir John Hegarty and Juliana Paracencio. The two-day programme will explore the relationships behind effective creative work.
AI Creative Challenge: Part of a global creative championship, offering the local winner the opportunity to travel to New York and compete in the international final.
Portfolio Review: Connecting up to 60 students with European agencies and studios for feedback on their portfolios and professional guidance.
Two Awards Galas: Celebrating emerging talent at the ADCE Student Awards Gala and professional achievement at the ADCE Awards Gala.

The festival will conclude on November 20 with the ADCE Awards Gala and Closing Party, where the winners of the 35th edition will be announced. The ceremony will recognise the year's outstanding creative work and bring the four-day programme to a close.

The full list of finalists is available on the ADCE Awards website.

www.adceurope.org

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