AD BLACK SEA Festival's 10th Edition: What to Expect

Batumi will host the 10th anniversary edition of the AD BLACK SEA festival from 10 to 12 September 2026, once again gathering creative industry professionals, marketers, designers and technology experts from around the world. The event has grown into one of the most significant international creative gatherings in the region, and has enjoyed unwavering support from TBC Bank throughout its entire decade-long history.

As part of the festival, TBC Bank will present the Young Creative nomination for the fourth consecutive year, offering the most innovative young talent from Georgia a platform for international professional development. Submissions for this category remain open until 27 August. Makuna Tavberidze, TBC's Marketing and Brand Experience Leader, said the bank sees creative thinking as a force that transforms people, businesses and the environment, and that the Young Creative category is a direct expression of that belief.

The three-day festival will feature an international competition judged by over 30 jurors from more than 20 countries, who will evaluate the region's most creative campaigns and projects across 13 main categories. This year's theme, 'ON THE EDGE', reflects the transitional state of the world, countries and the creative industry itself—a space where uncertainty becomes a source of new ideas and innovation.

Around 1,500 delegates are expected to attend, with opportunities to learn from industry leaders such as David Droga (Accenture), Cindy Gallop (MakeLoveNotPorn), Natasha Jen (Pentagram New York), Mihnea Gheorghiu (Le Pub), Catalin Dobre (McCann Worldgroup Romania) and Johana Jaskowska, a pioneer in augmented reality and digital art.

Advertisement

Why TBC Bank's Decade-Long Sponsorship Matters

TBC Bank's Long-Term Bet on Creative Talent

TBC Bank's decade-long alliance with AD BLACK SEA is not a typical festival sponsorship. The bank explicitly frames the creative industries as a pillar of national development, innovation and economic progress. By consistently backing a platform where new ideas are born and international collaboration thrives, TBC positions itself as an enabler of the country's talent pipeline—particularly through the Young Creative award, which opens doors for emerging Georgian professionals on the global stage. This approach aligns brand-building with tangible support for the next generation, reinforcing the bank's image as more than a financial institution.

Georgia's Emerging Role as a Creative Hub

The steady growth of AD BLACK SEA reflects Georgia's ambition to become a meaningful center for the creative sector in the wider region. A festival that attracts 1,500 delegates, top-tier international speakers and jury members from over 20 countries signals more than a cultural event—it indicates that the country can serve as a neutral, vibrant intersection for creative exchange between Europe and Asia. While it is still early to call Georgia a dominant hub, the institutional backing from major corporations like TBC and the continuity of the festival over ten years suggest genuine momentum rather than a one-off publicity effort.