The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity returns to Cannes, France, June 22-26. With it returns LIONS Creators, a program launched in 2024 to give the creator economy a dedicated space at the world’s biggest advertising festival—and a Tubefilter partner since its inception.
We connected with VP, Chief Growth Officer, Ed Davidson, to share his perspective on the 2026 additions to LIONS Creators’ programming. You can find more information on how to attend here.
Q: Why and how is Cannes Lions putting even more focus on creators this year?
A: Creators are now a critical part of the marketing ecosystem. We’ve seen it through the panels, conversations and work winning Lions at the Festival. Brands and businesses everywhere are partnering with creators now. In just a few years, the pace of change has been huge, and our role as a Festival is to convene that evolution.
There’s also growing awareness. Creators are hearing directly from peers about how Cannes Lions has opened up opportunities and inspired them, and they’re increasingly investing in themselves and their business by attending. They’re not just coming to create content–they’re coming to learn, build their craft, and set themselves up for long-term success.
What makes Cannes Lions unique is the ecosystem it brings together: brands, agencies, media platforms, and creators all in one place for a week. There’s no better environment to learn and meet the right people.
This year’s move to a larger beachfront space reflects that growth. It’s symbolic of creators’ expanding role, but also a direct response to feedback–they want to be fully integrated into the wider ecosystem, and we’ve listened.
Q: How have the roles of creators evolved at Cannes Lions?
A: Creators aren’t just attending now to create content for brands; they’re talking on panels and broadcasting live, as well as wanting to learn how to invest in their own businesses and creative growth. They’re sharing their Festival experiences across platforms and channels in real time, and it’s reaching entirely new communities. It’s bringing a new layer to how the Festival is represented, and that’s exciting.
Creators also aren’t solely attending to win brand deals. That’s still important, but there’s a drive to attend because they are creating new, transformational business models and partnerships across the industry, and there’s no better place to build those types of businesses than at Cannes Lions.
Q: Why are creators attending Cannes Lions?
A: The reasons are manifold. Creators can meet potential partners and collaborators, learn from their peers, and build a community from the global ecosystem that attends LIONS Creators. It’s about supporting creators to grow their businesses and develop their craft. Through talks, workshops, and networking events, we’re spotlighting the creator economy and bringing top creator talent and marketing leaders together from around the world.
What makes it truly unique is its global nature. It’s the only place where the entire ecosystem comes together at this scale. If you want to understand what’s really happening in the industry you’re now part of, there is no better place to do so. It’s where reputations are built and where the industry takes notice.
Q: How are attendees getting the most out of LIONS Creators?
A: Serendipity is the magic of Cannes. Conversations you least expect can have huge rewards. But that said, preparation still matters. Researching who’s going to be there and reaching out to set up meetings ahead of time is crucial.
LIONS Creators is a carefully curated programme designed to make contact building easier. We’re focusing on intentional moments, bringing creators and brand marketers together for lunches, breakfasts, and content events across the week. Not just to meet, but to have real conversations. The LIONS Creators beach will be your main hub to lean into the opportunities the programme offers.
Q: Are there any other additions you’re excited about this year?
A: Content creation and storytelling is accelerating with an editing suite and studio powered by Adobe. Creators can try out Adobe’s tools, and a big part of that is Adobe Firefly, its generative AI tool built with creators in mind. Studio space will support content creators broadcasting live.
Q: Whom should we be watching at LIONS Creators this year?
A: The LIONS Creators programme brings together creative talent from across the globe to share their experiences and perspectives, and to inspire new ideas and fresh thinking. In the Palais, some of the world’s biggest creator talent is speaking on the Cannes Lions stages: Jennifer Awirigwe (Financial Jennifer); Max Klymenko; top creators Alexis Omman, Chingu Amiga, and Dani Valle from StayOnSocial; actress and creator Hannah Stocking; commercial creator, founder, and filmmaker Grace Wells of PFStudio; and creator and founder Max Klymenko of Sixteenth, part of Whalar.
Q: What brands are supporting LIONS Creators?
A: Adobe, Billion Dollar Boy, LinkTree, Many Chat, Microsoft, and many more brands are heading to the LIONS Creators beach this June. It’s becoming the go-to place for brands and creators to meet and collaborate, and we can’t wait to get there.
Cannes Lions is a Tubefilter partner.
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