New York: The One Club for Creativity has announced a landmark addition to its global One Show awards with the launch of The One Show Indies — a dedicated platform to celebrate the work of independent agencies, design firms, production houses, and creators.
Debuting within The One Show 2026, The One Show Indies is open exclusively to agencies that are at least 51% independently owned by founders or staff and operate no more than four physical offices. The new category aims to make the prestigious One Show Pencil more accessible to a wider range of creative companies working outside holding company networks.
“Independent agencies and creators are some of today’s most dynamic drivers of creative excellence,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “We want to rally them by offering a more accessible way into The One Show, and a dedicated space for them to compete and be celebrated on the world stage. The One Show Indies is like a new rebel wing inside The One Show, created to recognize independent shops and creators who make powerful work without holding company budgets and restraints.”
To ensure accessibility and fairness, the entry process for The One Show Indies has been simplified with several key measures:
- Eligible agencies, studios, and creators can submit up to 10 entries total.
- Each work can be entered into no more than three categories.
- Limits on costly case study films as judging media.
- 20% discounted entry fees compared to regular One Show 2026 submissions.
These measures are designed to level the playing field, allowing independent creative companies to showcase their work on a global stage without financial barriers.
Regular entry deadline is January 23, 2026, with the final deadline on February 20, 2026.
Entries for The One Show Indies will be evaluated by a global jury comprised entirely of creatives from independent agencies, using the same trusted judging criteria as The One Show.
Along with Gold, Silver, and Bronze Pencils and Merit awards, the jury will present a special Crystal Pencil to an overall “Best of Indies” winner.
A dedicated One Show Indies celebration is also planned in a more relaxed format, separate from the main One Show 2026 ceremony, during Creative Week 2026 in New York.
Entries for The One Show 2026 are now open, with multiple deadline tiers — super-early by October 30, 2025, early by December 12, 2025, regular by January 23, 2026, extended by February 6, 2026, and final by February 20, 2026.
Jury Presidents and members will be announced soon, with early judging to begin in January 2026 and finalists revealed in May 2026. Winners of Crystal, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Pencils will be announced during Creative Week 2026.
All winning entries are showcased in The One Show archive and accessible online for one year. Winners also receive a complimentary One Club membership, granting access to a 25-year archive of more than 250,000 award-winning entries.
Each year, results contribute to The One Show Creative Rankings and The One Club’s Global Creative Rankings, covering results from The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, TDC Competitions, ADCE Awards, and ONE Asia Creative Awards.
As a nonprofit organization, The One Club reinvests all revenue from The One Show into programming across four pillars — Education, Inclusion & Diversity, Gender Equality, and Creative Development.
