Swanepoel: ‘The Ultimate Recognition’
The One Club for Creativity has opened the global call for nominations for the 2026 edition of its prestigious biannual Creative Hall of Fame induction.
The Creative Hall of Fame has a rich heritage of honoring the lifetime achievements of creative luminaries in advertising, design, and education, starting with the induction of Leo Burnett in 1961. In its current incarnation, it encompasses inductees into the Copywriters Club Hall of Fame (1961–1974), the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame (1972–2012), and the Educators Hall of Fame (2012–present), all under the umbrella of the non-profit One Club for Creativity.
Nominations are free for club members, with a submission deadline of September 30, 2025. The cost is $200 per nomination for nonmembers, but includes a one-year One Club Professional Membership. Details about becoming a member are here.
Criteria for consideration is three-fold:
- Impact — Those who have a celebrated body of work. This includes work that has been recognized as the best in the industry over multiple years for multiple brands, can be considered truly innovative and original in thinking and execution, and has an undeniable lasting impact.
- Influence — Those who have used their creativity and leveraged their resources to advance the industry and serve the greater good.
- Inspiration — Those who have had a measurable, positive effect on the next generation of creative leaders, and are known industry-wide as mentors, door-openers, and opportunity-creators.
Nominations must be accompanied by a compelling case document including a current bio, headshot, 10+ examples of work, references to accolades and recognition they received, and at least four testimonial letters of support.
Qualified nominees from around the world will be reviewed by The One Club Board of Directors. A shortlist of candidates will be determined, and nominators will be interviewed early next year about why they believe their nominee deserves to be inducted. The Board will then make the final selection of the newest inductees, who will be announced in Spring 2026 and celebrated at a special black-tie fundraising ceremony in September 2026 in New York.
The One Club Board is actively seeking nominees with a wide range of experience and backgrounds, including those who may have experienced a lack of mainstream recognition for their significant contributions to advancing creativity.
The free Creative Hall of Fame nomination process is open globally to the club’s nearly 11,000 members. In addition to honoring an esteemed group of advertising and design professionals and educators, the Creative Hall of Fame ceremony is also a major fundraising event to support the non-profit One Club’s many ongoing education and professional development initiatives.
These include programs to support the next generation of creative leaders, such as workshops for high school students to learn about the industry, college-level scholarship, mentoring and recognition programs, outreach to bring underrepresented talent into the industry, portfolio reviews for young creatives, and more.
“The Creative Hall of Fame is the ultimate recognition of visionary creative professionals and educators who transformed the industry and continue to inspire the next generation of creative talent,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “The open nomination process enables us to engage the broader global community, and identify the best candidates possible.”
For more information, please visit the Creative Hall of Fame website and nomination portal.
