The Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, has announced its 2025 Creator Economy programming lineup featuring a new “UP NEXT Creators” program that will give digital creators the full red carpet treatment. The initiative marks the first time a major film festival will provide creators with a full-scale premiere on the big screen alongside traditional filmmakers and artists.

Twelve content creators from TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram will participate in the inaugural program, with a one-time-only live premiere event scheduled for June 12 at AMC 19th Street East 6. The showcase will include screenings, creator showcases, and a Q&A discussion.

The 2025 “UP NEXT Creators” include Ari at Home, Christina Young, Coco Mocoe, Danny Cortez, Eric Jeng, Lauren W, Patrick Hicks, Public Opinion, Spencer Lackey, Stef Dag, and Walker Ward. Their work spans miniature artistry, analog horror, sidewalk interviews, and street beats.

Additional creator-focused programming includes a live conversation with Tinx, the New York Times bestselling author and host of “It’s Me, Tinx” on SiriusXM, scheduled for June 9 at the Crosby Street Hotel.

Responding to Changing Media

The expansion comes as Tribeca faces attendance challenges, with numbers dropping from 153,000 in 2017 to 145,000 in 2024. The festival first established its Creator Economy vertical last year in partnership with Whalar Group.

“There’s an entire generation out there that only gets their storytelling from creators,” Chris Brady, President and Global Chief Commercial Officer at Tribeca, said in the announcement. “We’re representing how heavily invested we are in making sure these creators are not just treated as a marketing vehicle, but as true storytellers.”

The Tribeca Festival joins other major events embracing creators, with Sundance holding its first dedicated creator economy event, “Creator Day” in 2025, and Cannes Lions rebranding its “Social & Influencer Lions” as “Social & Creator Lions.”

The 24th annual Tribeca Festival runs June 4-15, 2025, in New York City.