O Estadãoofficial representative of the Lions Festivals, announces that the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has launched its 72nd edition, which will take place from June 16 to 20, 2025 in Cannes, France. The Festival announced that it will double the investment to provide free passes worth 2 million euros to underrepresented talent and underserved communities through its Equity, Representation and Accessibility (ERA) pass, which returns for a second year.
Frank Starling, Chief DEI Officer at LIONS, said the increased investment is “crucial to continue driving progress for both Cannes Lions and the industry.” Starling added: “The ERA pass plays an important role in fostering global talent representation in the creative communications industry at Cannes Lions, and to date our funded opportunities have reached creatives in 46 countries globally. As the Festival is the destination for all creative businesses, we recognize the importance of creating equitable access, which is why we are prioritizing greater representation from the Global South to support a broader range of voices and perspectives from the region at the Festival. ” Applications for the ERA pass are open now and close in December 5, 2025. More details can be found here.
With the opening of entries for the Cannes Lions awards in January 16, 2025new innovations were also announced. Glass: The Lion for Change celebrates 10 years since its creation. Glass Lion was launched to promote work that uses creativity to drive a shift towards more positive, progressive and gender-aware communication, and Marian Brannelly, LIONS Global Awards Director, said now is the time to evolve. it. Brannelly said: “Gender representation remains essential, and following consultation and research, there is now a need to evolve Lion to recognize the importance of intersectionality, including issues of disability, race, sexuality and social inequality. This Lion is a prize for change. Expanding the scope allows us to celebrate ideas that promote more equitable representation for a broader range of communities and also reflect the importance of incorporating authentic inclusivity throughout the creative process.”
Social & Influencer Lions has been renamed to Social & Creator Lionsrecognizing the increasingly important role of creators in this scenario. Research Nester recently estimated that the market size of the creator economy is expected to exceed $600 billion by the end of 2036. New categories added to Social & Creator Lions focus on creators and the innovative work they are specifically producing for brands. In line with this, LIONS Creators – the creator economy learning experience – will return to the Festival for a second year, offering creators a space to learn how to build their businesses sustainably and effectively. Information about Creator Pass is available here.
Other changes to Lions include the addition of a subcategory to celebrate long-term brand platforms. The subcategory will be integrated across multiple Lions and will recognize brand platforms that demonstrate long-term effectiveness in building brand equity, loyalty and delivering measurable business results through ongoing creative communications efforts.
Additionally, a new initiative – Country Pavilions – is launched to drive greater global country representation at Cannes Lions. Thea Skelton, LIONS VP of Festivalsstated: “We know that creativity is a powerful engine of economic growth. The global creative economy is estimated at US$985 billion and could represent 10% of global GDP before 2030, according to think tank G20 Insights. At this pace and scale, we believe countries and governments have the opportunity to supercharge their creative economy by showcasing their capabilities at Cannes Lions in front of some of the most influential minds in the industry.” This “global village” will offer countries the opportunity to highlight local creativity on a global stage, promote creative economies and serve as a hub for learning sessions, as well as offering cross-country networking. A dedicated content stage will accompany the pavilions and showcase truly global content and perspectives.
The call for Cannes Lions content opens this Thursday (7), with entries accepted until December 31, 2025. Proposals are welcome from anyone, anywhere, and all registrations to speak on stage must be made through the dedicated content portal. More information can be found here.
Passes for Cannes Lions 2025 are now available. More details about the range of options available, including funded opportunities, can be found here.
