A quick guide to entering the WXO Awards 2026. Detail on individual awards can be found on the entry page and in the entry form itself.
Q. What are the WXO World Experience Awards?
The WXO World Experience Awards are the first global awards dedicated to celebrating the very best in the Experience Economy. Judged by the expert members of the World Experience Organization, these awards recognize world-class experiences across four categories – experience, people, business and technology. See our entry page here for more.
The WXO World Experience Awards is the only industry awards programme to recognize world-class experiences across all sectors, whether that’s LBE, sports, videogames, immersive theatre, museums, theme parks, experiential retail or elsewhere.
It’s also 100% free to enter – by removing the barriers of high entry fees or pay-to-play politics, we celebrate bootstrapped start-ups and local DIY projects as much as we do large theme parks and VR experiences.
Held during the World Experience Summit as part of London Experience Week, the awards celebrate true experiential excellence, showcasing the talent, creativity, entrepreneurialism, and innovation that is combining to fuel the Experience Economy.
To submit your entry, click here to fill in the entry form.
- Now Nominations are open
- Friday, 13 February 2026 Nominations close
- Friday 6 March 2026 Shortlists (decided by the World Experience Council) announced. Voting (by WXO membership) opens.
- Friday 20 March 2026 Voting closes
- Tuesday 21 April 2026 Awards night.
Awards will take place from 7-9pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026 after Day One of the World Experience Summit.
Tickets for the Summit (as part of London Experience Week) are available via the LXW26 website – click here to visit.
Q. When’s the deadline for entries?
Friday 13 February 2026.
Q. Where and when are the WXO World Experience Awards held?
The awards take place from 7-9pm on Tuesday April 21 2026 at the end of Day One of World Experience Summit as part of London Experience Week 2026. This year’s Summit is held at the iconic Ministry of Sound, which will also hold our awards ceremony. Tickets are still available here.
Q. Who attends the WXO World Experience Awards?
The best Experience Economy has to offer plus its adjacent industries. That means leading designers, storytellers, operators, entrepreneurs and tech heads, plus the most exciting agencies, brands, venues and organisations.
Anyone and everyone who cares about excellence in experience!
Q. Why should I bother entering the WXO World Experience Awards?
The WXO World Experience Awards are voted for by the WXO community – a 1,200-strong professional community drawn from entertainment, videogames, theatre, retail, theme parks, LBE, and beyond. Representing every sector and skillset imaginable from over 50 countries, an award voted by the WXO membership represents true recognition from the global experience community.
Winning or just being shortlisted will guarantee the enhanced status and perception of your capabilities, the respect of your peers, and be a talking point with your existing and future clients.
Here are a few other reasons!
- Global Recognition – Join the ranks of the world’s most groundbreaking experience creators.
- Free to Enter – No costly submission fees, just a chance to prove your experience is world-class.
- Judged on Merit – No pay-to-win. Just expert-led, transparent evaluation.
- A Platform for Innovation – Show the world how your experience is pushing boundaries.
Q. Can I buy a ticket?
Yes. Attendance for the WXO World Experience Awards is included in your ticket for London Experience Week 2026. You can find all our ticket packages here!
Q. Is food and drink provided?
There will be a paid bar available. Paid food options are available throughout London Experience Week at Ministry of Sound.
Q. What makes the WXO World Experience Awards unique?
In an era where experiences shape our most powerful memories and define modern business success, the WXO World Experience Awards shine a spotlight on those leading the charge in creativity, impact, and excellence across every sector imaginable.
Unlike other experience industry awards, the WXO World Experience Awards are unique in that they are voted for by the industry itself. Shortlists are vetted by the World Experience Council derived from founder members of the WXO. Winners are voted for by the 1,200-strong WXO community, ensuring a 100% independent merit-based evaluation from the broadest possible POV.
Q. Why the changes to this year’s categories?
The Experience Economy is growing fast, with audiences demanding amazing experiences in sectors as wide-ranging as festivals and healthcare to museums and education. Whether it’s huge brand activations for Hollywood blockbuster IP or small micro-festivals aimed at a hardcore fanbase, our new categories reflect the breadth and depth of business models, technology solutions and creativity required to adapt to this fast-evolving landscape.
Last year’s entries showed a skew in more people wanting to enter Experience of the Year as well as increasing diversity in the People categories entries – we have split these accordingly to give nominations better representation.
Q. I’m not sure what award to enter.
Don’t worry We review every entry and, based on your supporting data and our judges comments, can move you from Small to Medium (for example). Simply enter the award category that feels right and we’ll be in touch.
Q. Who makes up the awards judging panel?
Curated by WXO founder and CEO James Wallman, the judging panel is drawn from the World Experience Council. Made up of founder members of the WXO, the World Experience Council is made up from a diverse selection of seasoned experience professionals from around the world who all have proven success in the roles of experiential business, design, storytelling, user experience, customer expertise, branding and more.
Council members include such luminaries as Joe Pine, Abe Burickson, Mat Duerden, Laura Hess, Lou Pizante, Justin Stucey, Lou Murray, Pigalle Tavakkoli and Samit Garg. You can meet all our Council members here.
Q. What is the WXO Outstanding Contribution Award?
Nominated by the World Experience Council and the WXO team headed by James Wallman, the WXO World Experience Outstanding Contribution Award recognises a pioneering individual or organisation that has exhibited true excellence and moved the needle for the Experience Economy. Last year’s recipient was Reuleaux’s Laura Hess, who launched her REMARKABLE report at London Experience Week 2025. You can read what Laura had to say about her award here.
Q. When do entries open and close?
Nominations are open from Fri 16 January until Friday 13 February 2026 – a longer period of time to get your entries as requested by people last year.
After this, the World Experience Council will begin the shortlisting process.
Shortlists will be announced on Friday 6 March, with voting open for WXO members for two weeks until Friday 20 March.
Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony, taking place after Day One of the World Experience Summit, as part of London Experience Week. The Awards will take place from 7-9pm on Tues 21 April 2026 at Ministry of Sound.
Q. Is there any cost to entering?
Absolutely not. The WXO World Experience Awards are by and for the experience community. Entries are free and awards go to the best of the Experience Economy irrespective of budget.
Q. What is the eligibility criteria?
Much like the Academy Awards that honor films released within a set timeframe, the WXO World Experience Awards recognize experiences that have been operational in the calendar year 2025 – your experience must have been ‘live’ by the end of December 2025.
This ensures every entry has had time to make an impact on real audiences and demonstrate its success. If your entry has launched later in the year, concentrate on the tangible results and metrics – we are not awarding launches.
Whatever your nomination, entries are judged purely on merit by an expert panel – no paid votes, no industry politics.
Q. Who can I nominate for an WXO World Experience Award?
You can nominate your own work, that of a colleague or just someone’s work that you admire.
Obviously, anyone entering themselves, their team or their project means they will have all the details an entry could need. If you’re nominating a colleague or peer, do consider this and provide as much data and results to complement any argument.
Q. What are the judges looking for when shortlisting entries?
Excellence – simple as that. Obviously, that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of people but follow the below suggestions to get your entry started. The wider range of categories and individual awards this year means we will be looking for the detail in your entries – we need proof to back up the hype so be as specific and granular as possible.
General advice: This is the Experience Economy so be sure to build into your argument why your nomination is repeatable, sustainable and not busting the budget one day and being asked to leave the venue the next! Jaw-dropping is great but so is turning a profit.
Innovation and/or smart use of technology will most definitely turn a judge’s eye more than a huge launch promotion.
We’ll also be looking for creativity at a micro-level – a sketch is just as powerful as a CAD design if it’s truly delighting a client or a customer.
Also – audience data is key. What did you do to discover how your amazing idea made people feel, not just come through the gates – and what did you do with that information?
Some detail for each category:
Experience: We want to hear about the blockbuster IP launches and micro retail activations, the phygital hybrid worlds that made families gasp and the wellness retreats that massaged the soul and heart together. The big budget and the DIY. This category is all about the creativity, the awe, the story – but remember to bring the proof.
People: Whether you’re poring over a spreadsheet, wielding a hammer, greeting the crowd, crafting a story arc and timing an audio drop, it’s the people behind the experience who are the stars. We want to showcase the creativity, graft, inspiration and determination of the Experience Economy’s finest, whether they’re a fast-rising newbie or a superstar team pushing the experience envelope. Testimonials are perfect here, especially from happy clients and/or audience goers.
Technology: Smart use of technology is one of the key areas powering the growth of the Experience Economy, whether that’s a smart tracking system, an AR integration or a revolutionary audio innovation. Give us the painstaking detail of how this tech enabled your experience, how it made your audience feel or how it measured their enjoyment. Tech shouldn’t be nominated for tech’s sake – tell us its journey and the benefits, whether that’s for your business, your creativity and/or your audience.
Business: A core part of the WXO’s mission to help grow the Experience Economy is to look beyond the experiential and detail the smart business models that underpin all the amazing creativity. We want to showcase the experience entrepreneurs who will form our industry’s future, pick apart the marketing campaigns that ensnare new audiences and celebrate the finance wizards who enable our wildest dreams.
Q. Can I nominate multiple entries?
Yes. We prefer to cap it at three entries per person (we’d rather you create really good submissions rather than bulk apply) but if you want to submit more, just drop us a line at [email protected].
Q. When are the shortlists announced?
Shortlists will be announced on Friday 6 March with voting open for two weeks in the WXO community. That gives finalists plenty of time to garner support, buy their tickets, plan their outfits and write those speeches. Voting by the WXO membership then takes places until Friday 20 March.
Q. I’ve been shortlisted! What do I get?
Shortlisted finalists will receive a WXO World Experience Award Finalist Certificate (digital) plus marketing assets for their use. You’ll also receive editorial coverage on the WXO’s website and social media channels.
Most importantly, this is the World Experience Organisation – the global authority on the $12 trillion Experience Economy, bringing together the brightest minds from entertainment, museums, theatre, hospitality, retail, and so many more to design the future of experiences. Being shortlisted will guarantee the enhanced status and perception of your capabilities, the respect of your peers, and be a talking point with your existing and future clients.
Q. I’ve won! What do I get?
Winners will receive a physical award, a WXO World Experience Award Winners Certificate (digital), photography of their appearance on the night plus marketing assets for your use. You’ll also receive editorial coverage on the WXO’s website and social media channels. You’ll also receive permanent residency in the WXO World Experience Awards Hall of Fame.
And again – this is the World Experience Organisation! Winning a WXO World Experience Award is a genuine honour, achieved only by those who have gained the respect and admiration of the WXO community.
Q. I can’t attend the awards but I’ve been shortlisted.
While we really would love you to attend, we understand that attendance can be hard. If you’re shortlisted, we do recommend you try to make it. Unlike other awards, our shortlists are short lists and not long lists. If you’re nominated – you have a genuine chance of winning.
That said – we understand. Our awards aren’t pay to play and you will still win your award if you receive the most votes. If you’re shortlisted, please let us know in plenty of time that you can’t attend and who you would like to accept an award (if you win!) on your behalf. We can arrange for someone to do this if you need help.
Q. What do I do if I have other questions?
Just drop us a line! Email [email protected] and use ‘Awards query’ in the subject line – we’ll get back to you asap!
