We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: 2025 is the year that experiential takes center stage.
This year, events will go big and small. Experiences will tap into emerging technologies to produce mind-blowing fantasies. And they will pass on the latest innovations in favor of low-tech, IRL experiences). And behind every art installation that gives you goosebumps, every festival that inspires you to come back again (and again and again), and every spectacle that tickles your lizard brain (as XLISTER Ann Morrow Johnson calls it), is a creative visionary who helped usher it from concept to reality.
At XP Land, celebrating and connecting these magic-makers is a core part of our mission. It’s the “why” behind the 2025 XLIST — open now for nominations.
What is the XLIST?
A definitive list of industry masterminds, innovators, and ground-breaking creatives behind game-changing projects and work across the experiential ecosystem. Think: attractions, destinations, traveling productions, festivals, summits, conferences, spectacles, cultural gatherings, digital native and immersive experiences, and brand/experiential marketing.
Launched in 2023, our inaugural XLIST honored North America’s most inspiring XP visionaries. Selected by our editorial team of seasoned experiential leaders, as well as renowned peers, it featured breakthrough creatives, storytellers, and brand bosses from Es Devlin and Corvas Brinkerhoff to Greg Lombardo (Netflix) and Imani Ellis (Culture Con) to Medium Rare’s Joe Silberzweig and Adam Richman and Chaotic Singles Party’s Cassidy Davis. Read more about the 2023 XLIST here.
New this year: An open call for nominations
This year’s XLIST will once again identify a new class of experiential visionaries, offering recognition, community and connections to the experiential leaders, trailblazers and visionaries across these wildly creative industries — but we’re opening up nominations to the greater global experiential community. After all, who better to nominate the next generation of movers and shakers than the event makers, creatives, live storytellers, bold brands, and world-builders who live and breathe experiential day in and day out?
What we’re looking for
XP Land editors and Council members will select honorees based on originality, innovation and impact. Our ideal nominee will have played a key role in a groundbreaking experience over the past two years, developed an innovative new technology or experiential art form, or created a breakthrough in the industry. We’re looking for the creative minds behind mega-budget productions (hello, Hamish Hamilton and Des Perez) and grassroots projects built on donations and big ideas (we’re looking at you, April Cleveland) — and everything in between.
The honorees will be introduced to our community through in-depth editorial portfolios, make connections throughout the industry, be able to share their POV via op-eds and speaking opportunities at upcoming XP Land events and, of course, have bragging rights as peer-selected innovators in experiential.
WHAT else to know
- Nominations are open now through March 31, 2025.
- You can nominate yourself, a colleague, or a worthy collaborator.
- The fee is $199 per nomination, or $149 if the nomination is completed by February 28, 2025, at 11:59pm ET.
- The XLIST will be selected by our editorial team and XP Land Council of industry experts.
- Winners will be announced in May 2025.
The best experiences don’t just happen — they’re made. The 2025 XLIST is here to celebrate the creative visionaries turning big ideas into unforgettable moments. Nominate now and help define the future of experiential.
Are you an experiential creative, leader or innovator? Nominations are open for the XLIST — the most creative visionaries in experiential. Nominate yourself, a colleague or a collaborator now.
