The World's Largest Portfolio Review Heads Back to the Middle East

The next generation of creative talent in the Middle East will once again get a chance to put their portfolios in front of industry leaders as Portfolio Night 2026 heads to Baghdad, Dubai and Riyadh as part of its global programme.

Organised by The One Club for Creativity, Portfolio Night is one of the advertising industry's longest-running talent initiatives, connecting emerging creatives with senior professionals for an evening of portfolio reviews, mentoring, networking and recruitment.

The first wave of host cities announced for this year's edition includes Baghdad, hosted by Sketch Iraq on October 26, alongside Dubai and Riyadh, both hosted by Impact BBDO.

Dates for the UAE and Saudi Arabia editions will be announced in the coming weeks.

Launched in 2003, Portfolio Night has grown into a global platform designed to help young copywriters, art directors, designers, creators and technologists make their first industry connections while giving agencies access to emerging talent.

One standout participant from each host city will be selected to join the Portfolio Night All-Stars, a week-long virtual programme where international teams collaborate on a live brief from a global brand. Participants will also attend workshops, mentoring sessions and recruitment events before presenting their ideas to a panel of industry professionals. Members of the winning team will earn a trip to New York to attend Creative Week 2027.

The One Club said additional host cities across the Middle East and Africa are still being confirmed, with agencies, brands and creative organisations invited to apply as city hosts.

Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of The One Club for Creativity, said the initiative continues to offer creative professionals an opportunity to mentor the industry's next generation while helping agencies discover new talent.

Portfolio Night branding for the 2026 edition was created by New York-based designer and creative director Juan Carlos Pagan, with typography support from Sharp Type and Sunday Afternoon.

As competition for creative talent intensifies, initiatives like Portfolio Night remain one of the industry's most effective bridges between education and employment.