Applications Open for D&AD Shift New York 2027, the Free Night School Breaking Down Barriers to The Creative Industries

Sep. 18, 2026

With 80% of Shift New York alumni working in the creative industries, D&AD’s free programme offers talented New Yorkers without a college degree an alternative route into advertising, design and production

NEW YORK, September 17, D&AD, the global nonprofit championing excellence in design and commercial creativity, has opened applications for the 2027 cohort of Shift New York, its free, award-winning night school for creative people without a college degree. 

New York is home to some of the world’s leading advertising agencies, design studios, production companies, technology companies and content businesses, yet access to these industries for emerging talent remains unequal. Traditional routes into creative careers often rely on a college education, internships, personal networks and the time and money to build a portfolio, putting talented New Yorkers without those opportunities at a disadvantage – D&AD Shift New York was created to offer another way in.

Since launching in New York in 2018, Shift has helped self-made creative talent turn their skills and ideas into careers. Today, 80% of Shift New York alumni are working in the creative industries, while 73% of the most recent 2026 cohort have already gone on to work in the industry.

Across 120 hours of learning, Shifters build their portfolios through agency visits, sessions led by working creative professionals and live briefs from global brands, with previous Shift New York briefs set by Airbnb, Uber and Diageo. 

Shifters also receive one-to-one mentoring and networking support, giving them access to industry knowledge and professional networks that can be difficult to build without a traditional education pathway.

Shift New York alumni demonstrate what the programme can make possible. Kibria Chavez came to the programme without a college degree while freelancing and figuring out her next step; today, she is an Art Director at Spotify, where her work has included projects for artists such as Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter. Fellow alumnus Juan Veloz has built a successful career as a photographer, shooting for the likes of Nike, Netflix, Dior and Vogue.

Paul Drake, Foundation Director at D&AD, said:

“New York has extraordinary creative talent, but talent and opportunity aren’t always found in the same places. Too many people are still excluded from advertising and design because they didn’t go to college, couldn’t afford to take an unpaid opportunity or simply didn’t know the right people.We are so proud that eighty percent of our New York alumni are now working in the creative industries, showing what can happen when those barriers are removed. Creative excellence depends on different perspectives and experiences, and at D&AD we believe the industry is stronger when more people have the opportunity to contribute.”

 

Prospective Shifters can apply now at dandad.org/learning/shift/new-york. Applications close on November 29. The 2027 programme begins on January 12, culminating in a showcase where Shifters present their portfolios to the industry on May 14.