Cannes roster: 20 creators named

Billion Dollar Boy and FiveTwoNine have named 20 creators for free Cannes Lions 2026 passes, expanding a program that now runs for a second year. (campaignlive.com) The winners were announced on April 14, after applications for the 2026 Creator Fund opened on March 12 and closed in late March. Patreon joined as a sponsor this year, alongside Billion Dollar Boy and FiveTwoNine. (campaignlive.com) (billiondollarboy.com) Billion Dollar Boy said each winner receives a Cannes Creator Pass worth $1,724, plus introductions to brands, curated programming and on-the-ground support during the festival. Cannes Lions lists its 2026 LIONS Creators program for June 22-26 at Palais Beach in Cannes. (billiondollarboy.com) (canneslions.com) The fund is aimed at creators who are established online but still early enough in their business to be priced out of Cannes. FiveTwoNine’s application page set the floor at 20,000 followers on a primary platform or 5,000 Patreon members, and limited the program to United States- and United Kingdom-based creators who had never attended Cannes Lions. (fivetwonine.com) (adage.com) That matters because Cannes has built a formal creator track in the past two years, with a dedicated Creator Pass and a beach hub for creator programming. The festival says LIONS Creators is now a full-week program focused on the business of the creator economy. (adage.com) (canneslions.com) Billion Dollar Boy launched the Creator Fund in March 2025 with 20 passes for its first Cannes class, then brought 20 creators to the 2025 festival with speaking opportunities, private events and brand introductions. FiveTwoNine now describes that Cannes access as an annual commitment. (adage.com) (fivetwonine.com) The 2026 applications were judged by a senior industry panel that included executives from Patreon, Microsoft, Verizon, Adobe, TikTok, Forbes and the British Broadcasting Corporation Studios TalentWorks, plus two 2025 fund winners. Billion Dollar Boy said the jury was meant to assess originality, ambition and entrepreneurial potential. (billiondollarboy.com) Campaign reported that the selected group skews toward mid-tier creators rather than celebrity-scale influencers, with many in the 100,000 to 500,000 follower range. That puts the emphasis on creators who are large enough to attract brands but small enough for festival access to still change their business. (campaignlive.com) The roster lands more than two months before Cannes opens on June 22, giving brands, agencies and creators time to set meetings before the festival crowd arrives. For Billion Dollar Boy, the pitch is no longer just a ticket to Cannes, but a managed route into the rooms where ad deals get made. (canneslions.com) (billiondollarboy.com)