Instagram is bringing back its Rings awards for a second year, continuing its effort to recognize creators who push creative boundaries, experiment with new ideas, and influence culture beyond the platform. The 2026 edition puts the spotlight on originality and creative courage, with a judging panel drawn from fashion, music, film, sports, art, and other creative fields.

Introduced in 2025, Instagram Rings is designed to celebrate people who are willing to take creative risks rather than simply chase views or follow established content trends. Instagram says the initiative recognizes the creative journey itself, including experimenting with ideas, overcoming self-doubt, and finding new ways to express oneself.

The award isn’t limited to a particular content format or creative discipline. Instead, Instagram wants to recognize people whose work sparks conversations and makes an impact both on and off the platform.

Instagram Rings 2026 brings together a star-studded judging panel

This year’s judging panel features 14 figures from different creative industries, including fashion designer Donatella Versace, rapper A$AP Rocky, filmmaker Chloé Zhao, musician and producer FINNEAS, Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin, and designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla.

The full panel also includes artists OSGEMEOS, Instagram head Adam Mosseri, choreographer Charm La’Donna, Instagram’s head of fashion partnerships Eva Chen, former GQ editor-in-chief Will Welch, makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench, chef Vikas Khanna, and creator and author Jack Edwards.

The judges will nominate creators and vote to determine the recipients. The approach puts creative professionals in charge of selecting people whose work stands out, rather than relying solely on automated rankings or popularity metrics.

Instagram has also emphasized that follower count isn’t the defining factor in selecting recipients. The goal is to recognize people making interesting creative choices, including emerging talent that might not yet have a massive audience.

A new physical ring celebrates making your own luck

Each 2026 recipient will receive a physical ring designed by Emily Adams Bode Aujla, founder of the fashion label Bode and one of this year’s judges.

The design features a four-leaf clover carved from Connemara marble, a distinctive green stone associated with Ireland. The clover represents good fortune, while the overall concept reflects the idea that taking bold creative chances can help people create their own opportunities.

Bode Aujla drew inspiration from commemorative jewelry, including lockets, good-luck charms, heirlooms, and school rings. The result gives this year’s award a personal touch while reinforcing the program’s central message: creativity often involves exploration, intuition, and a willingness to try something different.

The physical award also distinguishes Rings from recognition that exists only on a social media profile. It gives recipients a tangible symbol of their creative achievements.

Instagram wants Rings to become a community, not just an award

Beyond recognizing individual creators, Rings gives Instagram another way to build relationships with the people shaping culture on its platform. The initiative also offers a form of recognition that goes beyond conventional engagement figures, rewarding originality and creative influence rather than treating follower counts as the ultimate measure of success.

The program builds on its inaugural edition in 2025, when 25 creators received the award. For 2026, the number of recipients is expected to increase to 50, expanding the group of creators recognized through the initiative.

Winners also receive special Instagram profile customization features that help distinguish their accounts, complementing the physical ring with a visible presence on the platform.

Instagram plans to reveal the full list of 2026 Rings recipients later in October. The announcement will introduce the next group of creators the platform believes are taking meaningful creative risks and shaping culture through their work.

For creators, the initiative offers a different kind of recognition in an environment where visibility is often associated with viral posts and large audiences. For Instagram, it reinforces the idea that the platform can be a home for distinctive creative work, not just another place to compete for attention.