Jury Presidents and Full Jury Announced for the 35th ADCE Awards

Sep. 02, 2026

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) has announced the distinguished Jury Presidents and full jury for the 35th edition of the ADCE Awards, celebrating and promoting creative excellence across Europe and beyond.

This year’s jury brings together more than 55 leading creative professionals from 25 European countries, including Turkey, which joins the ADCE network as a new member in 2026, bringing the jury to a record number of countries represented. 

Together, the jurors will evaluate outstanding work from across Europe through a rigorous judging process, beginning with online sessions and culminating in live deliberations in Barcelona on November 17th and 18th.

Recently appointed ADCE President Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, Chairwoman of Jung von Matt Group, will serve as this year’s Overall Jury President. One of Germany’s most awarded creative leaders, she brings decades of experience in creating internationally acclaimed work and nurturing exceptional creative talent.

As Overall Jury President, she will guide the jury throughout the judging process, ensuring a rigorous and consistent evaluation while upholding the values of ADCE and championing European creative excellence.

ADCE 2026 Jury Presidents are as follows:

• Film & Audio: Riccardo Fregoso, CCO Southern Europe, Dentsu Creative | Italy
• Print & Outdoor: Márton Jedlicska, ECD, Publicis Media | Hungary
• Interactive & Mobile: Juliana Paracencio, ECD, Droga5 | UK
• Design: Liza Enebeis, CD, Partner, Studio Dumbar/DEPT | Netherlands
• Brand Development & Experience: Malcolm Poynton, Former Global CCO, Cheil Worldwide | UK
• Integrated & Innovation: Alejandro di Trolio, CCO, Cheil | Spain
• Creativity by Industry Sectors: Sophia Lindholm, Independent Creative Leader, ex-Forsman & Bodenfors | Sweden

The complete ADCE 2026 jury can be viewed here.

Call for Entries - New Eligibility rules

For the first time, projects that have entered one of the eligible local awards can also compete at European level, opening the competition to more creatives and projects from across the continent.

The full list of eligible competitions and submission requirements can be viewed here.  Deadline for entry is 25 September 2026. Winners will be announced at the Awards Gala Ceremony on 20 November 2026, during ADCE Creative Week in Barcelona.

A new perspective on creativity by industry

The Creativity by Industry Sectors discipline is being introduced for the first time this year, with Sophia Lindholm leading its inaugural jury.

The discipline brings together creative leaders alongside two client representatives, introducing a broader and more diverse perspective to the judging process. It recognises not only creative excellence, but also the strategic, cultural and industry context behind each project.

Across the competition, jurors will award Gold, Silver and Bronze distinctions in each discipline, as well as the coveted Grand Prix. They will also select the ADCE Special Awards: the European Star – Johannes Newrkla, Genius Loci, Green Star and Equal Star.

Final round of judging opens to the public

Following the success of last year's edition, the third and final round of judging, where the Grand Prix and Special Awards are decided, will once again be open to the public as part of ADCE Creative Week.

This unique session gives attendees the opportunity to witness leading European creative professionals debate and defend their choices, offering an unprecedented insight into the decision-making process behind the continent's most celebrated creative accolades.

Tickets for the session are available as part of the ADCE Creative Week programme.

This activity is just one of the highlights of ADCE Creative Week, taking place 17-20 November 2026 in Barcelona. 

European creativity goes global

Participation in the ADCE Awards now extends beyond European recognition through the partnership with The One Club for Creativity.

ADCE winners are included in The One Club's Global Creative Rankings, the global benchmark that combines results from The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, ONE Asia Creative Awards, Type Directors Club competitions, and the ADCE Awards.

This integration gives ADCE winners additional international visibility while contributing to the rankings of their agencies, networks and holding companies. For European agencies, the ADCE Awards provide the last opportunity of the year to strengthen their position in the global creative landscape at the end of the awards season.