Cannes Lions Bets on the Creator Economy, Sports, and AI in Its 2026 Programming

Cannes Lions continues to expand its programming offering. Within the Creativity Toolbox track, new voices including Tracey Lee, Laura Ranzato, Harriet Kingaby, and Chris Verrijdt will join the lineup with the session “Silence to GreenSHOUTING: A Creative Lab for What Comes Next.”

The Festival program is also adding new specialized experiences. Within the LIONS Creators space, Steven Bartlett, David Wadhwani, and Jamie Gutfreund will present the session “From Creator to CEO: Building Scalable Brands with AI.” Meanwhile, the newly launched LIONS Sport program will feature a conversation between Formula 1 driver George Russell and Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano.

Cannes Lions highlighted that the Festival will include dedicated spaces for different communities within the creative industry, aiming to offer curated programming for sectors that are transforming marketing.

The LIONS Creators program, developed in partnership with Adobe, is consolidating itself as a dedicated hub for the creator economy. It includes talks, collaborative workshops, interactive discussions, and networking spaces. Activities will take place daily at LIONS Creators Beach and will be accessible to press pass holders. Participants include creators such as Max Klymenko and GK Barry, as well as brands including Gap and DoorDash.

Meanwhile, LIONS Sport, in partnership with SPORT BEACH, is positioned as a two-day program focused on the intersection of creativity, sports, and business. The event will bring together leaders from brands, agencies, sports rights organizations, and media companies to discuss the transformation of sports marketing, an industry valued at $417 billion. It will take place on Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25 at the Hotel Carlton and will be available to accredited press attendees.

Finally, Cannes Lions reminded attendees of key press accreditation dates: registration closes on Monday, June 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. BST. The organization warned that it cannot guarantee the processing of late applications or requests submitted during the Festival and reserves the right to reject them.

For those unable to attend in person, the Festival will also offer a digital experience providing access to on-demand sessions, award ceremonies, and live streams, subject to press accreditation.