Creativity festival 'ADC*LT'26' to explore optimism amid AI and human creativity conflict

Lithuania's upcoming "ADC*LT'26" creativity festival is set to confront the growing tension between artificial intelligence and human artistry. The event aims to foster optimism and a continued drive for creation amidst rising enthusiasm for AI, which has also sparked criticism from the creative community.

Mantas Velykis, the festival's main curator, noted the creative community's suspicion towards AI, citing concerns over uncompensated text copying and unauthorized style replication. "It's only natural that the creative community views AI with suspicion: texts are copied without compensation, illustration styles are replicated without permission, and so on," Velykis stated. "It's no wonder we see more content than creativity. Therefore, this year's theme is intended to provide optimism and a desire to continue creating. After all, people, clients, and audiences will value the work of creators, not computer-digested nonsense that netizens often call 'slop'," he added.

The festival program includes the traditional full-day conference featuring prominent global design and advertising figures, a competition showcasing the best Lithuanian design and advertising works, and a Young Talent program. This year, "ADC*LT'26" introduces two new events: one preceding the festival and another following it.

On September 9, the day before the festival, the Lithuanian Design Association will host a creative industry leaders' dinner. The main speaker will be Thierry Brunfaut, co-founder and executive creative director of the "Base Design" network's Brussels studio. Brunfaut will share his experiences in managing "Base Design," discussing how the studio transformed its culture, implemented new processes, and fostered harmony among its global teams while preserving personal inspiration and creative energy.

Following the festival on September 11, a full-day workshop organized by "The Atomic Garden" advertising and marketing school will feature three "gods" of the advertising world. They will share their expertise to help Lithuanian creators effectively present their work for international awards. The workshop will be led by Chacho Puebla, a multiple Cannes Lions winner and juror with 30 years of experience; Paulo Areas, Creative and Business Transformation Director at "Lola Normajean Lisbon"; and Juan Christmann, founder of "All Awards," an agency that assists creators in preparing for international advertising competitions.

“

It's only natural that the creative community views AI with suspicion: texts are copied without compensation, illustration styles are replicated without permission, and so on. It's no wonder we see more content than creativity. Therefore, this year's theme is intended to provide optimism and a desire to continue creating. After all, people, clients, and audiences will value the work of creators, not computer-digested nonsense that netizens often call 'slop'.