The LIA funded Creative LIAisons program is bringing 130 young creatives from around the globe to Encore @ Wynn, Las Vegas for 5 days of seminars, panel discussions, an interactive workshop, the experience of observing statue discussions live in the jury rooms and a fireside chat with the 2026 LIA Legend, Susan Credle. The program takes place from 27th September through 1st October, running in tandem with LIA 2026 Judging. All 130 attendees will be given the rare and novel experience of being in the judging rooms, witnessing the jury’s final debates and discussions that set the creative benchmark for the year.
Yasu Sasaki
Global Chief Creative Officer
dentsu
“What attracts me to LIA is its approach to nurturing young talent and its unique programs. In LIAisons, young talents gather beyond companies and borders, listening to cutting-edge speakers, while engaging in mutual discussion, all taking place concurrently with LIA judging. They can also observe the awards judging by watching statue discussions in real time. For young people from Japan and Asia especially, such opportunities are incredibly valuable. I believe LIA is the only place in the world, where you can observe the awards judging process (though it’s nervously exciting for those judging!).”
Ali Rez
Regional Chief Creative Officer
IMPACT BBDO, Dubai
“The LIAisons program is a true launchpad unlike any other for young talent in this industry, offering rare access to some of the best creative leaders in the world and career-shaping perspectives: even bringing them into the judging room where they gain first-hand knowledge of what it takes to make great work. At IMPACT BBDO, we’ve seen how sending our own talent has accelerated their growth and brought fresh energy back to the agency. Personally, being involved in teaching and mentoring through the program has been equally impactful: thankful to have had the opportunity to sharpen my own perspectives, while giving back to the next generation of creative leaders.”
This year, the Creative LIAisons program includes hot topics like “What CCOs are looking for”, Everything you’ve wanted to ask a CCO, Entertainment vs. Content vs. Traditional Advertising, The Reality of Making Great Creative Work, and many other talks/panel discussions thoughtfully curated by the Creative LIAisons speakers.
LIA also hosts a special evening mixer at the Neon Museum for the LIAisons attendees to meet their creative heroes and mingle with jurors and speakers over drinks and dinner.
Another highlight to this year’s line-up: Marco Venturelli, President and Chief Creative Officer, Leo; CCO, Publicis Groupe France; CEO/COO, Publicis Conseil, Paris will conduct an unconventional workshop. Interestingly, the You’re on the Jury workshop puts the young creatives in the judges’ seats as they have the chance to view the work and award it as they see fit. LIAisons attendees
will compare how their awards stack up against what was actually awarded by the jury. Marco will also share exclusive insights from the judging process and explain what makes an award-winning piece of work, shedding light on the decisions and discussions that led to the success of the work.
There’s great anticipation among the attendees leading up to Creative LIAisons in Las Vegas.
Emma Lawrence, Art Director, INNOCEAN USA, Huntington Beach: “Being selected as a 2026 Creative LIAisons mentee is so exciting! From everything I’ve heard, the feedback from past mentees has been so inspiring, and I feel really lucky to be part of it. It’s rare to get a full week like this, where you’re learning from and surrounded by people you’ve looked up to, while also getting a real look at what happens inside a jury room. That kind of behind-the-scenes access is something you don’t really get anywhere else, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Louis Devine, AWARD School 2026 National Top Student, APAC: “I’m brand new to this industry. Since winning AWARD School’s National Top Student in Australia, people have been remarkably open with their time and advice, and Creative LIAisons feels like that same generosity on a global scale. A room full of some of the best creative minds in the world, alongside the juniors I’ll be working with for the next thirty years. That’s a pretty rare opportunity to be given this early.”
Danielle Fernandes, Senior Art Director, BETC HAVAS, São Paulo: “Being selected for Creative LIAisons, is both an honor and a reminder, that no matter how long you’ve been doing this, there’s always more to learn. I’m excited to be surrounded by brilliant creative minds from around the world, to listen, question, exchange ideas and challenge the way I think. I hope to come back from Vegas with a notebook full of insights, a head full of new ideas, and even more curiosity than I had before.”
“What I love about Creative LIAisons is having watched it birth and grow. There are very few things that I see that I wish that I had that when I was coming along. And that’s one of them. I would have loved to have been a part of something like that,” revealed Susan Credle, former Chair & Global Chief Creative Officer of FCB and the LIA Legend 2026 Honoree.
Susan Credle, who will be honored with the LIA Legend Award 2026 live at Creative LIAisons, will share riveting narratives of her experience in a fireside chat. She has been a great supporter and cheerleader of the LIAisons program since its inception in 2012.
LIA Judging sessions take place from 25th September through 3rd October, 2026. LIA funds Creative LIAisons from festival entry fees. Proceeds from entries are reinvested into supporting and directly benefiting the development of this educational program for emerging talent. Final entry deadline is 10th September, 2026.
Preview the Creative LIAisons Experience
