LIA (London International Awards) has announced that its 2020 event and associated Creative LIAisons program are cancelled for 2020. They will resume in 2021 once the COVID-19 crisis has passed.
“Our industry is in a world of pain right now, and while COVID-19 is the driving issue, the economic impact to our many friends and partners in the industry is going to be severe and we think it inappropriate to pretend the world is in a normal place and it’s business as usual," says Barbara Levy, president of LIA.
"To that end, as we have not yet opened the 2020 entry system, there will be no need to issue refunds.
“We are a business too, and will feel the pain, but I find it hard to contemplate celebrating even award-winning work when many people are and will be suffering.”
In 2021, LIA will return to its normal timetable and will announce details in due course.
Founded in 1986 by Barbara Levy, London International Awards (LIA) is a global festival honouring creativity and new ideas in advertising, production, digital, design, health and pharma, music and sound, technology and branded ntertainment.
“I would like to thank the industry for the support, thank the LIA Jury Presidents and Jury members for accepting to judge and look forward to resuming in 2021," Levy says.
"This is the responsible course of action to take at this time, and is in the interests of the industry, which is what LIA has always stood for. In making this announcement the one thing we want to do is give certainty to the industry of our intentions so they can plan accordingly."
The LIA decision follows news last week that Cannes Lions has been postponed from June and at this stage is taking place October 26-30.
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