CLIENT PITCH IS STILL OPEN!
For over 30 years, The One Club for Creativity's student competitions have been decorating the resumes and portfolios of talented advertising and design students. In 2026, Young Ones is home to the One Show, Art Directors Club, and the Type Directors Club Student Competitions, plus a unique Portfolio Competition. Between all four shows, there is an opportunity to celebrate up-and-coming creatives in almost any discipline imaginable.
As a global creative competition, Young Ones challenges students to put their best foot forward in hopes of winning one of the first honors in their professional journey. And, as a creative community, The One Club for Creativity exists to support and celebrate those same artists, designers, writers, technologists, and filmmakers through today, tomorrow, and beyond. For countless creatives worldwide, winning a One Show Pencil or ADC Cube is a dream come true, but those dreams have to start somewhere...
FOUR UNIQUE DISCIPLINES,
ONE COMPETITION
Select the best competition to showcase your talents.
ONE COMPETITION
Entering a specific competition can mean charting a course deeper into a creative discipline and being seen and understood by a jury that specializes in your skills. You are welcome to enter all four competitions at the Young Ones Student Awards and show off your multidisciplinary talents or explore one of them in depth.
PLUS, THE CLIENT PITCH & MORE
Lean into all the opportunities that Young ones has to offer
The Client Pitch Competition – your opportunity to pitch in front of our Young Ones One Show Brief Sponsors, in person; our Next Up Fee Waivers for students who are concerned about the entry fees*; and Portfolio Reviews from The One Club for Creativity are returning this year to make your Young Ones experience even better! *Next Up Fee Waiver Deadline has already passed.
DEADLINES & FEES
ADD THESE KEY DATES TO YOUR CALENDAR
Mid- April: Finalists Notified
May 11, 2026: Young Ones Ceremony
May 11 - May 15, 2026: Creative Week
By day, Creative Week features speaker sessions, workshops, and reviews, designed to foster discussion, reflection, and connection in the advertising and design industries. By night, Creative Week rolls out the red carpet as it recognizes the very best work of the past year by way of four internationally acclaimed award shows: the lauding of “big ideas” at The One Show; the celebration of design and craftsmanship at the ADC Annual Awards; and the salute to the next generation of talent at the Young Ones Student Awards.
ELIGIBILITY
So, who exactly is aLLOWED TO ENTER?
- Entrants must be 18 or older.
- Entrants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate university program, graduate program, or portfolio program. PhD Candidates are not eligible.
- Recent graduates are eligible. Graduation date must be no earlier than March 13, 2025.
- Entrants must not have more than two years of previous professional experience. Students enrolled in a graduate or portfolio program with more than two years of professional experience in the advertising, marketing, design, or communications industry are not eligible.
- Students working at an agency as a copywriter, art director or other professional position are not eligible.
- Work created for an internship is ineligible. Work must have been created during your student career – this includes coursework or personal projects.
Professors are welcome to enter on behalf of their students.
WHAT YOU WIN
IT'S ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW and who knows you
Young Ones Finalists earn the chance to jumpstart their career, grow their creative community, and expand their professional resources this includes:
- Top awards of Gold, Silver, and Bronze or a Merit Certificate in One Show, TDC, or ADC
- A Portfolio Award for top winners in the Portfolio Competition
- One-year membership to The One Club for Creativity for discounted access to our events, portfolio reviews, and mentorship opportunities
- Full access to our archives
- Feature in our Young Ones Archives & Rankings
BRIEF SPONSORS
WANT A New CHALLENGE? DOWNLOAD A YOUNG ONES BRIEF
Thank you to Juan Carlos Pagan at Sunday Afternoon for the Young Ones Logo and Identity.
Thank you to Klim Foundry for use of Geograph.
Thank you to Klim Foundry for use of Geograph.
