FORUM AND CRAFT LIONS SIGNAL TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR AT CANNES

Cannes Lions 2026 introduces a closed-door Forum for global marketers to tackle board-level challenges and unveils AI Craft subcategories to celebrate human-machine collaboration in artistry. CEO Simon Cook calls 2026 transformative, with greater engagement from brands and independents underscoring the festival’s role as a benchmark for creativity and industry change.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026 is shaping up to be a year of recalibration and renewal, with the introduction of a new closed-door Forum for global marketers and fresh AI Craft subcategories across the craft-led Lions. Together, these initiatives reflect the industry’s shifting priorities and appetite for deeper engagement.

The Forum is designed as a peer-level space where the world’s leading marketers can speak candidly, challenge each other, and address the pressing issues they face at board level. Growth, capital allocation, and influence are at the heart of these discussions, with the format intended to foster genuine exchange rather than surface-level networking. By creating a confidential environment, the Lions are signalling the importance of tackling the realities of marketing leadership in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Meanwhile, the Craft Lions continue to attract sustained interest, underscoring the enduring value of artistry and execution in creative work. This year, the introduction of AI Craft subcategories marks a significant step in recognising the fusion of human creativity and artificial intelligence. The focus is not on novelty but on genuine craft, where AI serves the idea rather than overshadowing it. The categories aim to spotlight work that achieves outcomes neither humans nor machines could accomplish alone, reinforcing the festival’s role as a benchmark for creative innovation.

Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, emphasised the transformative nature of 2026, noting that the awards have always mirrored industry disruption while opening doors to opportunity. “Our industry is constantly shifting, adapting and innovating, and 2026 feels like it will be remembered as a transformative year for many reasons,” he said. He highlighted greater engagement from brand marketers and independents as evidence of the festival’s relevance, adding that coming together to navigate change and celebrate creativity has never been more essential.

The dual emphasis on candid leadership dialogue and the recognition of hybrid craft signals a festival intent on setting new standards. In a year defined by recalibration, Cannes Lions is positioning itself as both a forum for strategic reflection and a showcase for creative excellence, ensuring its legacy as the industry’s most influential gathering endures.