The finalists of Adwards 2026, a competition celebrating advertising, design, and other creative industries, have been announced. A total of 37 agencies and studios from across the Baltic States have been nominated, with 166 works shortlisted in 49 categories. The winners will be revealed on May 15 at the closing ceremony of the Baltic creative excellence festival Adwards 2026, organized by the Latvian Art Directors’ Club (LADC).
Marking its 20th anniversary, Adwards is expanding its scope this year and, for the first time, will bring together creative industry professionals from across the Baltic region on a single platform. The festival will take place in Riga at the Zuzeum Art Centre on May 14–15. Entries were accepted in advertising, design, digital, public relations, and other categories. Winners will receive special trophies created by one of Latvia’s most internationally recognized designers, Germans Ermičs. The full shortlist is available on the Adwards website: https://adwards.eu/shortlist
“I was genuinely impressed by the creative power of the work evaluated at the Adwards festival. Among all the submissions, there were several entries that truly stood out and are fully capable of competing on an international level. Serving on the jury was highly inspiring and motivated me to become even better myself,” said jury chairman Götz Ulmer.
The festival theme, “Bursting Bubbles”, highlights the importance of stepping beyond familiar boundaries – both in thinking and in collaboration.
“Although this is the twentieth, anniversary edition of the festival, we see it as the first, because for the first time in its history it has become a Baltic festival. In a sense, this event marks a turning point as we launch an entirely new format and scale. We are truly proud that the festival is taking place in Riga, as we have all the potential to become the creative epicenter of the Baltic region, uniting all three countries in a shared exchange of knowledge. Adwards also gives us the opportunity to get to know one another better and step out of the bubble in which we are constantly comparing ourselves, instead focusing on the question: how can we become better together? Naturally, Latvia dominates among this year’s submissions, but we are proud to confirm that works from Lithuania and Estonia will also be strongly represented. We are especially proud to have officially reached a record number of submissions this year, which once again confirms that opening the doors to the Baltic region and transforming the festival format was the right decision,” said Kaspars Eglītis, President of the Latvian Art Directors’ Club.
Over two days, the Adwards festival program will bring together Baltic and international professionals from the creative industries, offering a diverse agenda of lectures, discussions, and networking opportunities. At the heart of the event will be presentations by world-class guest speakers, including experts in advertising, design, and branding from Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and the Baltic States.
The festival is designed as a platform for exchanging ideas among agencies, brands, designers, and emerging talent.
Among the internationally acclaimed creative professionals speaking at the festival are Götz Ulmer, Erik Kessels, Calvin Innes, Mr Bingo, and João Madeira de Silva. Their talks will explore topics such as brand identity and cultural influence, the role of pop culture in communication, the integration of artificial intelligence and technology into creative processes, and how to preserve originality and humanity in an age of content overload.
Kerstin Raidma and Augustinas Paukštė will share insights into design thinking, branding, and creative entrepreneurship in both Baltic and international markets.
The first day of the festival will feature inspiring keynote lectures, presentations of creative projects, and a showcase of “Young Creatives” work, highlighting the ideas and experimental approaches of the next generation. The day will continue with meetings with the festival jury and discussions on the latest trends in advertising and design.
The second day will focus on industry panel discussions, portfolio reviews, and professional development opportunities for young talent. The program will culminate in the awards ceremony, honoring the most outstanding creative projects in the Baltic States. The evening will conclude with informal networking, creating opportunities for new collaborations and future projects within the Baltic creative community.
Tickets, the full festival program, and the complete list of finalists are available on the Adwards website: https://adwards.eu
