blooloop is pleased to reveal the initial judges for the 2026 blooloop Innovation Awards, presented with AREA15:
- Steve Alcorn, CEO, Alcorn McBride
- Kimberly Beneville, co-founder, BENEVILLE STUDIOS INC.
- Rosie Brailsford, creative and experience director for North America, Merlin Entertainments
- Justin Brown, VP of development, American Resort Management
- Bridgitte Bywater, park president, Carowinds
- Mario Centola, executive vice president and chief operating officer of international operations and worldwide franchise development, Chuck E Cheese
- Bob Dennis, senior director of resort development, Universal Beijing Resort
- Andrew Dobson, head of creative technology, Merlin Entertainments
- Philipp Edelmann, senior director - head of production | experiences, Netflix
- Stuart Edgington, global BD director, Holovis
- Winston Fisher, CEO, AREA15
- Joe Herrington, principal media designer, Walt Disney Imagineering
- Jian Hu, vice president, Pop Mart International Group
- Jasmin Jodry, executive creative director
- Asa Kalama, VP, executive - creative & interactive experiences, Walt Disney Imagineering
- Morgane Keesling, senior manager, creative development, Disneyland Paris
- Margaret Kerrison, founder/owner, MCK Creative
- Bart Kresa, founder, BARTKRESA studio
- Chris Lange, chief creative officer and owner, Creative Studio Berlin
- Katrina Lat, experience designer, producer, and client strategist
- Lena Lee, executive vice president, attractions & destination experience, Resorts World Sentosa
- Mary Levinsky, visual merchandise designer, Universal Destinations and Experiences
- Traci Lewand, chief experience officer, San Antonio Zoo
- Meritaten Mance, founder and director, Mance Communications
- Amanda Mayne, head of partnerships: international touring exhibitions, British Museum
- Stephanie Morehead, senior program manager | global business strategy & integration, Disney Live Entertainment
- Amy Naples, chief marketing officer, AREA15
- Judith Owens, chief executive, TBL International
- Nancy Patterson, director design & business development, OpenAire
- Frederica Peters, regional manager EMEA for live events and location-based entertainment, Mattel
- Sophie Rouse, director of audiences, V&A
- Lora Sauls, assistant director entertainment creative development, Universal Creative
- Shep, director and co-founder, Fuzzy Lightbulb
- Linda Spurdle, museums, heritage and culture consultant
- Sarah Sutton, CEO, ECP
- Deana Taylor, vice president operations innovation & transformation, Miral
- Michael Zehnder, owner, Bavarian Inn Lodge
How to enter
To submit your entry, please click here.
Early bird pricing is available until 26 July 2026.
To secure the best price, pay for your entry now and keep editing it until entries close on 28 September 2026.
The categories for the 2026 awards include:
- Accessibility
- Blue Sky
- Brand Realisation, sponsored by Fuzzy Lightbulb
- Creative Technology, sponsored by Holovis
- Exhibit - Animals
- Exhibit - Culture, sponsored by Museum EXP
- Experiential Technology
- Family
- Game On
- Guest Journey, sponsored by On The Stage
- Immersive Attraction, sponsored by ProIO
- Immersive Experience, sponsored by Mance Communications
- Immersive Experience – Cultural, sponsored by Blue Telescope
- Marketing
- Retail & Dining
- Spectacular
- Splash, sponsored by OpenAire
- Storytelling, sponsored by FORREC
- Storytelling - Culture, sponsored by BeWunder
- Sustainability
- Thrills
Learn more about the entry types and what to enter here.
Plus, our entry guide includes more information on the categories and what the judges are looking for.
Why enter the blooloop Innovation Awards?
By entering the awards, you can
- Raise your profile. Showcase your work in front of our panel of expert judges.
- Prove that you are an innovator in the industry. Join the incredible lineup of previous winners.
- Celebrate your work with your team and your clients. Use your award entry for marketing and to boost team morale.
- Gain a competitive advantage. Attract new business and new talent.
- Be seen as a thought leader. Opt for a Deluxe Entry to speak on a panel alongside our judge.
In addition, entrants can showcase their innovation and access the world's biggest audience of attractions industry professionals and the leading AI search engines.
Entrants benefit from a permanent, dedicated full page in our Innovation Awards Gallery on blooloop.com, leveraging our 75 Domain Authority and Top 10 UK AI Visibility to act as a permanent external SEO asset for your brand.
Enter your project here.
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Rebecca Hardy
Senior Web Journalist
Rebecca Hardy has over 10 years' experience in the culture and heritage sector. She studied Fine Art at university and has written for a broad range of creative organisations including artists, galleries, and retailers. When she's not writing, she spends her time getting lost in the woods and making mud pies with her young son.
