Initiative Aims to Bring Black Creatives to Cannes Lions

Advertising and creative professionals from around the world will gather in the south of France this June when Cannes Lions returns for its first-person event since before the pandemic. But as with previous Cannes, many talent who would benefit from attending the festival and meeting industry leaders and peers won’t have the means to do so. Cephas Williams, founder of the Black British Network and 56 Black Men campaign, is on a mission to bring to Cannes Lions three Black creatives who wouldn't normally have the access or opportunity to go. He wants to boost the creatives’ careers by introducing them to a network of industry professionals, while also helping to make the event more diverse and inclusive. Williams has pledged $12,300 (£10,000) of his own money to bring the creatives to Cannes, but he has also set up a Crowdfunder initiative to raise an additional $16,245 (£20,000) to support his mission. The funds would cover the costs of traveling to and attending the festival, plus accommodation and any additional funds raised could potentially bring more creatives to Cannes. A complete Cannes Lions pass is $3,859 (€3,675), while a Young Lion pass for those under 31 costs $2,095 (€1,995) and a student pass is $960 (€915). Any creatives from agencies or higher education courses who would like a chance to attend Cannes with Williams can submit their applications by May 22. While in Cannes, Williams has promised to personally connect the creatives with leaders and professionals in the advertising and media industries, invite them to events and forums where he speaks—and help them build relationships that can advance their careers. https://twitter.com/CephasWilliams/status/1522167310492045314?s=20&t=NGtYBMH_FOS17x-sVb0QQg When Williams attended Cannes Lions in 2019, he said he “felt like the odd one out.” “There is a huge amount of Black talent across the country who would love to go to Cannes, but may not have the funds to get there. Equally, it’s one thing to have Black people out in Cannes, but it’s another thing to have us feel connected, included and benefit from a network that many ordinarily wouldn't have,” he said in a statement on his Crowdfunder page. “It's important for the Black creatives we take to have access to an ecosystem of support and relationships that they can build over time.” Williams, who is based in the U.K., is best known for founding the 56 Black Men project in 2018, which challenged negative stereotypes of Black men in the media. He also launched the Portrait of Black Britain exhibition series in 2021 and the Black British Network, an organization that aims to dismantle systemic racism in the U.K. British Group 56 Black Men Honors George Floyd in OOH Campaign

Cannes Lions

This Initiative Aims to Bring Underrepresented Black Creatives to Cannes Lions

Cephas Williams, founder of 56 Black Men, wants to make the festival more inclusive

Brittaney Kiefer

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Brittaney Kiefer