The One Club for Creativity is evolving its long-running WAATBP career fair with a new, jobs-focused format and a partnership with CultureCon to give young creatives more direct support in a difficult entry-level job market.
The two-day WAATBP Career Essentials event kicks off October 2 at The One Club’s New York headquarters at 450 West 31st Street before moving to CultureCon at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on October 3.
This year’s format shifts the focus toward practical career support, including in-person portfolio reviews, “Ask HR Anything” sessions with recruiters, interviewing advice and networking opportunities designed to help young creatives navigate the industry more effectively.
The second day will feature the “One Big Idea” creative brief competition on CultureCon’s Duggal Greenhouse stage.
The competition is currently open for entries, with three finalists selected to pitch their ideas live before a judging panel that includes Pum Lefebure, co-founder and CCO of Design Army and chairperson of The One Club board; Jimmy Smith, Chairman, CEO and CCO of Amusement Park Entertainment; and John “JP” Petty III, co-founder and managing partner of 14th And Market.
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The CultureCon audience will serve as a fourth judge, voting in real time.
The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize, a one-year membership to The One Club, mentoring sessions with a One Club board member, and an opportunity to help bring the winning idea to life.
“This partnership is rooted in something we care about deeply, which is democratizing access,” said Imani Ellis, CEO and Founder of CultureCon. “The One Club shares our belief that talent is everywhere, but the opportunities to cultivate that talent need to increase.”
Ellis added that the partnership is intended to help ensure “the doors that opened for us keep opening for them.”
Adrienne Lucas, director of strategic partnerships and programs at The One Club, said the organizations bring complementary strengths to the effort.
“We have spent decades investing in creative excellence and career development, while CultureCon has built one of the most influential platforms for creators and entrepreneurs,” Lucas said. “Through this partnership and the creative brief competition at its center, we’re creating new pathways for talent to showcase their work, gain visibility and connect with careers they may not have known were possible.”
Originally established as Where Are All the Black People, WAATBP has expanded over the years into an annual gathering focused on improving diversity and access within the advertising industry.
Tickets for the October 2 Career Essentials program cost $15 for One Club members and $20 for non-members.
WAATBP 2026 is supported in part by Capital One, Ogilvy and WiP.
