ADCE Student Awards 2026 Open

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) proudly announces the third edition of the ADCE Student Awards 2026, a celebration of Europe’s emerging creative talent and a launchpad for the next generation of innovators in design, advertising, and visual communication.

Open to students from across Europe, the competition invites designers and creatives to submit their work in 14 categories spanning multiple creative disciplines. The ADCE Student Awards offer international visibility, inspiration, and recognition within the creative industry.

To be eligible, participants must be aged 18 or older and currently enrolled in a European undergraduate, graduate, or portfolio programme.

The awards are open to all students, regardless of ADCE membership, reinforcing ADCE’s ongoing commitment to supporting and promoting Europe’s next generation of creative talent.

An international jury of more than 60 professionals — including educators and industry professionals — will evaluate all entries online and select Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in each category, as well as the prestigious YoungStar award.

Last year’s YoungStar title was awarded to “The USB Paradox” by Felix Foltas and Jonas Perkmann from Fachhochschule Salzburg (Austria). All the winning works are available for consultation at this link.

Global Creative College Rankings

Participating students and colleges will also earn points contributing to the Global Creative College Rankings by The One Club for Creativity, of which ADCE is a proud member.

For students, participation represents an important step toward international recognition and future professional opportunities. For colleges, the rankings provide valuable recognition of educational excellence and their commitment to nurturing creative talent. In 2025, three European institutions reached the global top five of the rankings. Berghs School of Communication (Stockholm), Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Ludwigsburg), and Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (Salzburg), helped by points earned through the ADCE Student Awards.

Applications are now open through the official platform, where students can submit their work together with the required eligibility documentation before thedeadline on August 14th.

The Student Awards Gala

Following the success of last year’s edition, ADCE will once again host a dedicated Student Awards Gala, giving students the opportunity to take the stage, celebrate their creativity, and discover the outstanding work recognised in the 2026 competition.

The ceremony will take place in Barcelona on 18th November as part of ADCE Creative Week, the annual creative festival expected to welcome creatives from all over Europe.

For two days, Barcelona will come alive with a rich programme of talks, networking opportunities, workshops, and creative activities designed for students, professionals, agencies, and studios alike.

More information will be announced soon on the ADCE website.

About the Art Directors Club of Europe

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) is a non-profit based in Barcelona, uniting 25 professional clubs and associations from 24 European countries. Founded in 1990, ADCE promotes creative excellence in advertising and graphic design across Europe, representing more than 7,000 professionals and showcasing top local work. ADCE’s new president is Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, Chairwoman of Jung von Matt.

ADCE is part of The One Club for Creativity based in New York, home of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) awards, ONE Asia Awards, Type Directors Club competition, Young Guns, Young Ones Student Awards, Next Creative Leaders ONE School, ONE Creator Lab, Where Are All The Black People conference and career fair, Portfolio Night, Creative Week, and more.  The One Club is the world’s foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the global creative community.  Revenue generated from entries to its global awards shows goes back into the industry to fund programming under the organization’s four pillars: Education, Inclusion & Diversity, Gender Equality, and Creative Development.