The Gerety Awards brought its Gerety LIVE 2026 conversation series to Los Angeles on May 5, gathering creatives, strategists, agency leaders, brand voices, and members of the organization’s 2026 Los Angeles jury for an evening titled Why 2026 Will Be a Year Like No Other.
Hosted by Valerie Carlson and the team at Critical Mass, the event was structured as an open-mic-style mixer rather than a traditional panel format, encouraging audience participation and spontaneous conversation throughout the night.
Discussions covered the impact of AI on creative work, the future of craft, leadership in times of rapid change, and the importance of maintaining human perspective in an increasingly automated industry.
“Gerety LIVE is about creating conversations the industry genuinely wants to have,” said Joe Brooks.
“The format in Los Angeles allowed people to engage more openly, challenge ideas, and discuss what creativity and leadership will look like in the years ahead. It felt honest, energetic, and very much in the spirit of the Gerety community.”
The event was supported by Dedalus VII, SheSays, and Reel 360, and marked the second Gerety Awards event in Los Angeles. Further Gerety LIVE conversations are planned globally throughout the year.
The Gerety Awards brings together creative voices through an all-female jury model, with executive jury sessions taking place across 15 global locations in 2026. Jury sessions are set to begin in June.
The jury sessions will start in June. Meet the jury for Gerety 2026: www.geretyawards.com/jury
Watch the Jury Insights here
