Loeries Creative Week comes to Cape Town

The people shaping the creative identity of Africa and the Middle East will gather in the City of Cape Town from 4-9 October for Loeries (www.Loeries.com) Creative Week 2026 (https://apo-opa.co/4iPX2gz), a six-day programme bringing together creative professionals, brands, agencies, marketers, media, educators and emerging talent from across the region.

More than an awards event, Loeries Creative Week creates a meeting point for the ideas, conversations and relationships that move the creative industry forward. It combines the recognition of outstanding work with opportunities to learn from leading creative thinkers, encounter new talent and examine how creativity is responding to changing cultural, commercial and technological realities.

The week will culminate in the Loerie Awards on 8 and 9 October 2026, when the regions’ most impactful creative work will be recognised.

The 2026 edition returns to the City of Cape Town, which will once again provide the setting for judging, learning, industry exchange and celebration. With its concentration of agencies, production companies, design businesses, educational institutions and cultural organisations, Cape Town gives delegates direct access to one of the region’s most active creative economies.

Loeries Creative Week will play host to a number of creative events including the Loeries International Seminar of Creativity, where more than a dozen speakers from around the world will share creative insights and inspiration. Additionally attendees will get to experience the MasterClasses, the Loeries Expo and the highly-anticipated Loeries Official Afterparty to be held at Cabo Beach Club.

“Loeries Creative Week is constantly innovating and this year will provide another opportunity for the industry to not only experience a wide range of events but also access to the latest thinking on how to create breakthrough work,” said Loeries CEO, Preetesh Sewraj. “We will also be bringing some legends of the global communications industry to Cape Town, including Susan Credle, from the USA, and Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, from Germany.”

This year will also introduce changes to the Loeries award categories, reflecting the continued evolution of creative practice and the need to recognise both the thinking behind the work and the new talent shaping its future.

The new Creative Strategy category has been created to celebrate the ideas and strategic thinking that enable outstanding creative work. It will recognise the role that insight, problem-solving and clear strategic direction play in producing ideas that connect with audiences and deliver meaningful impact.

The Young Directors Award, another new addition for 2026, will create an opportunity to recognise emerging film directors from across Africa and the Middle East. By placing young directors within the region’s leading creative awards platform, the category is intended to give new filmmaking voices greater visibility and strengthen pathways into the wider industry.

The Audio & Radio category has also been expanded to include new subcategories, acknowledging the growing range of ways in which audio is being used across broadcasting, digital platforms, branded content and emerging formats.

Together, the changes underline the Loeries’ role not only in recognising established excellence, but in continually examining where creativity is moving and who should be brought into the conversation.

“The City of Cape Town is a truly global city which is why attendees from across Africa and the Middle East feel at home to celebrate their work, perspectives and talent during Loeries Creative Week,” said Leonora de Souza-Zilwa, Director of Film & Events for The City of Cape Town. “We are such proud hosts of The Loeries and look forward to welcoming everyone to The City in October.”