Young Hispanic Creatives Set Their Sights on Cannes 2026

Círculo Creativo USA, in partnership with National CineMedia (NCM), has officially opened registrations for the 2026 U.S. Hispanic Young Lions Competition, offering emerging Hispanic talent the opportunity to represent “Team USA Hispanic” on one of the global industry’s most prestigious stages: the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

NCM, the official administrator of the U.S. Young Lions Competition and the Lions Festivals representative in the United States, continues to collaborate with Círculo Creativo USA to spotlight the next generation of Hispanic creative leaders.

For the 2026 edition, the competition will feature a single category—Digital—highlighting the growing importance of innovation, storytelling, and platform-driven creativity in today’s marketing landscape.

Key Dates and Timeline
Registration for the competition opened on March 9 and will close on March 24. Selected participants will attend a virtual creative brief presentation on March 26 at 12:00 pm CST, with the official brief distributed later that day.

Teams will have just a few days to develop their proposals, with all entries due by March 29. Judging will take place between late March and early April, and winners are scheduled to be announced on April 9.

Who Can Participate
The competition is open to teams of two young professionals currently working in Hispanic advertising agencies across the United States. Eligible participants must be at least 18 years old, born on or after June 26, 1995, and legally reside in the U.S. with valid passports and the ability to travel internationally.

Participants must be actively employed or freelancing within approved agencies and creative fields throughout the competition period, which extends through the Cannes Lions Festival in June 2026. Students and participants in the official U.S. Young Lions Competition are not eligible.

The Road to Cannes
The winning team in the Digital category will earn the opportunity to represent “Team USA Hispanic” at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place from June 22 to June 26 in Cannes, France.

Each member of the winning team will receive a Young Lions Competitor Pass, granting access to compete in the global Young Lions Competition.

However, organizers emphasize that the competition does not include financial support. Participants—including winners—are fully responsible for covering all expenses related to attending the festival, including travel, accommodations, meals, and visa costs.

As a result, applicants are strongly encouraged to seek financial backing from their agencies early in the process, as internal approvals may take time.

Final Steps and Winner Selection
Winning teams will be notified on or around April 9 and must confirm acceptance within 48 hours. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture, with runner-up teams selected as replacements if necessary.

All members of the winning team must be available to travel to France during the competition dates in June. Once confirmed, winners will be officially announced on the competition’s website.