D&AD Festival 2026

The D&AD Festival returns to London’s Southbank for two days of programming aimed at working designers, creative directors and design leaders. Organised around the annual D&AD Awards, the festival brings together speakers, panel discussions and presentations from practitioners across graphic design, product design, advertising and digital, with the Yellow Pencil showcase at its centre.

The 2026 festival poses the question of whether creativity remains alive in a period of significant industry disruption, with particular attention to the role of artificial intelligence in professional practice. Programme strands include Learning Labs, Jury Insights and a President’s Lectures series exploring how established creative voices are navigating a changed landscape.

For interior designers and architects interested in the broader creative industry, the D&AD Festival offers direct access to the thinking and work of practitioners across adjacent disciplines, as well as the opportunity to see the year’s most recognised commercial design work in a single setting.