LIA 2026 judging kicks off in Las Vegas with new categories and 128 Creative LIAisons on the way
Judging for the 2026 London International Awards is officially underway in Las Vegas. Some of the industry’s sharpest creative minds have come together to decide which ideas deserve to rise.
Every entry is scrutinised together, on-site, from the very first round. There is no pre-judging, and no quotas determine what makes the cut.
The first juries to take their seats were Ambient & Activation, Billboard, Print and Poster; Music & Sound; and Creative Strategy. Among the thousands of entries are the ideas that will become this year’s LIA Statue winners.
Says Barbara Levy, President & Founder, LIA: “Great work deserves more than a quick glance. At LIA, it gets the time, attention and different perspectives of a truly global jury. When those voices come together in one room, the conversations are richer and the work that rises has really earned its place.”
On Day 2, three more panels took their seats: Entertainment & Content and Cultural Catalyst; Design and Package Design; and Democracy and Human Rights. With new disciplines joining established ones, the juries are looking at creativity across a broader spectrum. That runs from storytelling and design craft to cultural impact and ideas that engage with some of society’s most important issues.
New categories, new areas of impact
Two categories are new for 2026:
• Cultural Catalyst celebrates work that sparks conversation, sets trends and becomes part of culture beyond its initial launch.
• Democracy and Human Rights honours creativity that promotes free expression, fair representation, accountability and essential freedoms.
Entertainment & Content also returns with a sharper focus on storytelling that earns attention as entertainment in its own right, across film, television, gaming, mobile and live experiences.
Says Terry Savage, Chairman, LIA: “Our industry keeps finding new places for creativity to make an impact. These categories are about recognising that evolution, whether creativity is shaping culture, strengthening democratic values or creating entertainment people actively choose to spend time with.”
LIA has also released an interview with its inaugural Democracy and Human Rights jury, titled ‘This Isn’t SADvertising’. It features Jury President Gloria Pitagorsky, Managing Partner of Heard City, New York; Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner & CCO of Edelman Canada; and Matt Murphy, Global Chief Creative Officer of 72andSunny.
The next generation takes its seat
The Encore at Wynn will get even busier when 128 emerging talents from around the world arrive for the start of Creative LIAisons.
The program launched in 2012 and has helped develop emerging talent across the industry. Past attendees have gone on to become creative leaders and CCOs, and some have returned to LIA as jurors themselves.
Over five days, attendees get direct access to some of the industry’s most experienced leaders through candid conversations and workshops. Later in the week, they also get the rare opportunity to observe live Statue discussions inside the LIA jury rooms. It’s a front-row view of how great work is made, evaluated and defended, along with the kind of connections and perspectives that can shape a career.
VIEW THE PRINT MAGAZINE + PAST ISSUES ONLINE. SUBSCRIBE NOW.
Register for FREE HERE and receive the Campaign Brief Daily Bulletin and/or the global Best Ads Best of the Week Bulletin. Subscribe to Campaign Brief Magazine.
#More Creative News #No paywalls #No annual membership fees
Subscribe to Portfolio & Reel for current listings of Australian and NZ ad agency and production company leadership and key personnel