The Loeries are famed for showcasing the winning work, but this year the focus is as much on the conversations, learning and connections that happen around the awards.
Loeries Creative Week 2026 takes place from 4 to 9 October in Cape Town, and brings together Africa’s and the Middle East’s creative industries in a packed programme that sees the Loeries Expo, Student Expo, master classes, youth initiatives, networking events and the International Seminar of Creativity, as well as the two Loerie Awards nights.
The week highlights an industry at the cutting edge and includes sessions on AI and cultural relevance, brand experience, technology, thought leadership and the future of creative work.
Beyond the awards
The Loeries say that their Creative Week is a coming together of the region’s creative community, with the week seeing the transition from exhibiting creative work to learning and industry exchange, with the awards nights as a fitting finale.
This is seen most prominently at the HomeComing Centre, which hosts the Loeries Expo – and Student Expo from 7 to 9 October.
The week also dedicates time to exploring the future of the industry.
At The Future Creative: Human Ingenuity in the Age of AI on 7 October, Dentsu will lead a conversation on creativity and human ingenuity as artificial intelligence transforms the advertising and media industry.
On 8 October, the focus turns to Spotify and strategy, destination marketing, brand experience, cultural relevance and thought leadership.
What does relevance look like now?
A number of the sessions on 8 October touch on the challenge of maintaining cultural relevance, from both brand and creative perspectives.
Unilever’s session, From Cultural Truth and Relevance to Collective Impact, is framed within the question of how to achieve this collective impact.
In a similar vein, but looking at culture from different angles, are Culture Through the Ages by SABC, and Building Brands in the Age of Experience by South African Breweries.
The New Standard of Thought Leadership by Bloomberg Media fits in with the conversation on relevance, as it explores how brands can leverage thought leadership in an environment where artificial intelligence is driving a deluge of content creation.
Ashish Verma, Global Head of Creative, Bloomberg Media Studios, will lead the session on what makes thought leadership fit for purpose, and not just another brand-building exercise.
That, perhaps, is the challenge for many in the industry as brands strive to be relevant while still finding new ways to stand out.
It fits with the observation that audiences are becoming more selective about the content they engage with, as well as the increased demands for authenticity.
Making room for the next generation
Speaking of the next generation, Loeries Creative Week also prioritises young talent.
The Student Expo runs alongside the main Loeries Expo, while the Loeries Young Creatives Brunch on 8 October also serves to highlight and celebrate emerging talent.
The Loeries Young Creatives Showcase was launched as a platform for the next wave of creatives, aged 27 and younger, to exhibit their work.
The showcase runs across disciplines, including production, and looks to celebrate those who might not typically get the same exposure as their more established contemporaries.
In many ways, that is the challenge for the creative industries – not only do young creatives need to build their brands, but they also have to find ways to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The 2026 Loeries programme reflects that, with the inclusion of young talent across the week’s events, from students to those who are just starting to make their mark.
It also sees established industry leaders spend time in conversation with newcomers.
This mix ensures that the Loeries aren’t only celebrating winners and the work they do, but also looking ahead to the future of the creative industries.
A regional creative conversation
Loeries Creative Week 2026 closes with the Loeries International Seminar of Creativity on 9 October, as well as the second Loerie Awards night.
The International Seminar of Creativity fits in with the week’s focus on conversation, as it once again puts the region in the global spotlight.
This year, the event has been earmarked as a chance for advertisers, marketers, designers and other creatives to connect with their international counterparts and engage in conversation.
While the Awards nights continue to be the centrepiece of the week-long event, the expanded offerings around them serve to highlight an industry in which creative excellence is both celebrated and dissected.
For an industry that sits at the crossroads of artificial intelligence, cultural relevance, new disciplines and the ever-evolving media landscape, such a conversation is perhaps one of the most valuable things to come out of Loeries Creative Week.
Loeries Creative Week 2026 continues until 9 October, with the Loeries Expo and Student Expo at the HomeComing Centre from 7 to 9 October, with the two Awards Nights at Cape Town City Hall on 8 and 9 October.
