Talent Programmes
A powerful and balanced creative future for all.
We’ve spent 70 years helping to shape careers, foster connections, and platform the power of creativity on a global scale.
As we look forward to the next 70 years, we will focus on creating opportunities, providing access, and nurturing the next generation of creative marketing leaders.
As part of our mission to support those ‘in the making’ and drive progress for people, we opened up the Festival to more than 130 people from groups traditionally underrepresented in the creative industries in 2023.
In 2024, LIONS has introduced the Equity, Representation and Accessibility (ERA) Programme, with the aim of allocating up to €1m worth of complimentary passes to foster a diverse and inclusive representation of talent within the creative communications industry at Cannes Lions.
LIONS COMPETITIONS
Young Lions Competitions
We organise Competitions to challenge young creatives from every corner of the communications industry. For under 30s ready to showcase their talent to our prestigious Young Lions Jury, over 450 fellow competitors and the international festival community. To apply, contact one of our reps.
LIONS ACADEMIES
LIONS Academies
The LIONS Academies help rising young talent, aged 30 years and under, fast-track their careers and become the next generation of industry leaders. They combine inspiring classroom sessions with world-class speakers, hands-on learning and coaching from industry legends.
Roger Hatchuel Student Academy
The Roger Hatchuel Student Academy is a unique learning experience designed to help students interested in pursuing a creative path in advertising launch their careers. It is open to full-time students, aged 18-23 years old, in their last year of studying. Please note, applications have closed for 2024.
LIONS TALENT ACCELERATORS
Please note, applications for the LIONS Scholarships and See It Be It have closed for 2024.
LIONS Scholarship
Designed to support the next generation of underrepresented talent, the scholarship offers a group of young people from around the world a fully-funded place on the Cannes Lions Brand Marketers and Creative Academies. The first cohort of LIONS scholarship winners took part in the Festival in June 2023. Please note, applications have closed for 2024.
See It Be It - by LIONS
The ‘See It Be It’ talent programme was founded in 2014 by Cannes Lions with the mission to achieve equal gender representation of creative directors and leaders across the global industry. Over the past 9 years, we’ve elevated a worldwide community of 100+ creatives - positively impacting the gender representation we set out to equalise. The 2024 cohort has been announced.
LIONS EXECUTIVE TRAINING
CMO Accelerator Programme
For senior brand marketers keen to learn to deliver sustainable and enduring brand value for their organisations. Since 2013 over 325 alumni from 50 countries have attended the Accelerator. The CMO Accelerator Programme offers full week access to the Festival, as well as a highly customised two-day CMO Accelerator programme.
FUTURE LEADERS designed in partnership with the industry
Future Lions with AKQA
Future Lions is AKQA’s annual initiative that celebrates bold and progressive ideas from students all over the world aged 18-25 years old or less than 6 months’ industry experience. Five winning teams are granted full access to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and honoured with a limited edition Future Lions trophy.
#CannesForAll
#CannesForAll is an initiative launched by Brixton Finishing School in London, UK, DigiLearning Foundation and Lollipop Mentoring that aims to place their emerging and diverse talent at the heart of the Festival. In support of the initiative, Cannes Lions provided Festival access to the 12 talents chosen for the programme in 2023.
The Jodi Harris Scholarship
Honouring a legacy of diversity, opportunity and excellence, the Jodi Harris Scholarship is back for Cannes Lions 2024. This scholarship, open to client side marketers between the ages of 31-36, offers ten future marketing leaders a fully-funded curated programme, in partnership with AB InBev.
COMMUNITY LED designed in partnership with the global community
Cephas Williams and the Black British Network
Cannes Lions continued its partnership with Cephas Williams and the Black British Network in 2023. As part of the initiative, Cannes Lions provided Festival passes for Black talent and worked with Cephas on a curated Festival programme that provided an incredible experience, opportunity and access for Black talent.
Perifa Lions
The Perifa education programme runs throughout the year, culminating in a brief-led competition where four winners will receive complimentary passes to Cannes Lions.
In partnership with Cannes Lions, Perifa Lions, founded by Leticia Rodrigues (See It Be It Alumni), Irina Didier and Flavio Salcedo, is on a mission to bring young people from the Brazilian peripheries to Cannes Lions - all paid for. The programme runs throughout the year, promoting several activities to highlight and connect diverse talents with big names and opportunities with leading agencies.
Black Executive CMO Alliance
The Black Executive CMO Alliance, BECA, launched in 2021 with a mission to increase retention and representation of Black marketing professionals in the C-suite, through four core pillars; share, learn, elevate, and pay-it-forward. The latter is accomplished through 'The BECA Playbook', a 2-year bespoke program for Black mid-level marketers co-developed with Deloitte. Eight Future Leaders from The BECA Playbook attended Cannes Lions 2023. For the second consecutive year, Ascential and LIONS sponsored airfare, hotel, and Festival passes for all.