Drupal Association blog: The work that just happens: the DA Insider for September 2026

This post is adapted from the DA Insider, the Drupal Association's monthly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it in your inbox each month.

A note from our CTO

The Drupal Association team is incredibly grateful to have spent time with our community at DrupalCon Rotterdam. Dries Buytaert made one thing clear: Drupal is light-years ahead of its reputation. Our keynotes proved it, and stories from brands like Mars and World Cancer Day showcased Drupal's global power and ability to scale for good, both with cutting edge page building and AI integrations.

We were thrilled to celebrate our International Splash award winners, and the winners of the Women in Drupal award. It's our mission moving forward to expand our recognition for Makers, Patrons, and Advocates across the Drupal ecosystem, and to share Drupal's story beyond our own community.

Thank you to every attendee, speaker, sponsor, volunteer, and contributor who made Rotterdam absolutely unforgettable. We're excited to share what's next.

Tim Lehnen, CTO

DrupalCon Rotterdam Was Everything & More!

This year's event welcomed 876 participants across 46 countries for four days of sessions, summits, workshops, and contribution activities at the Postillion Hotel & Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam.

The Driesnote was remarkable. Key highlights included the launch of the Drupal Advocacy Program, which awards contribution credit for writing, recording, and sharing about Drupal; the announcement of the Rosetta Sprint, aimed at making Drupal's capabilities readable by AI agents, systems, and humans alike; and a new public AI demo site showcasing Drupal's growing AI capabilities — watch the six demos here.

Dries also introduced the concept of Stewarded Open Source, positioning Drupal as the ideal platform for Europe's push for digital sovereignty. Read the full Driesnote recap here.

International Splash Awards

The International Splash Awards 2026 celebrated outstanding Drupal projects from across the globe, with a 40% increase in submissions this year. Congratulations to all the winners and runner-ups.

Women in Drupal Awards

The Women in Drupal Awards, now in their fifth year, recognized three outstanding contributors: Antonella Severo, Nikita Aswani and Rachel Lawson. Congratulations to all three for their remarkable contributions to the Drupal community.

A huge thank you to every attendee, speaker, sponsor, volunteer and contributor who made DrupalCon Rotterdam unforgettable. Relive the memories through the official photo pool from the event.

The Drupal community doesn't stop. Next stop: Orlando (March 22-25) and Edinburgh (October 25-28) in 2027! See you there!

Introducing the Drupal Advocacy Program

Drupal is light-years ahead of its reputation. We can change that together.

We've launched the Drupal Advocacy Program: a new Drupal Association pilot that awards contribution credit for content that helps the world discover modern Drupal.

Write a blog post for your market. Record a demo. Speak at a non-Drupal event. Translate a case study for your language. Appear on a podcast. Even boosting someone else's talk or story counts.

Throughout the year, we'll roll out themes with ready-made messaging and proof points for you to make your own — and themed content earns 2x–3x credits.

The Engineering Team Had A Busy DrupalCon.

The Drupal Association engineering team was just on-site at DrupalCon Rotterdam, presenting the latest updates and working with the community in the contrib room on everything from the future of Drupal.org, to reducing friction with our GitLab contribution tools.

One of the major highlights of DrupalCon was the release of a brand-new Drupal AI demo experience. This new demo showcases the incredible breadth and depth of AI capabilities in Drupal, including page building capabilities and extremely powerful tools for context and governance.

If you attended Rotterdam but missed the session, keep an eye out in your inbox for a link to the private playlist. For the public at large, the DrupalCon session recordings will be available to everyone after a 30 day embargo from the end of the event.

Get Involved With DrupalCon Orlando 2027

Speak

The Drupal community thrives on the knowledge and experiences its members bring to the stage. Submit your session proposal for DrupalCon Orlando 2027 and share your expertise with the global Drupal community. The Call for Speakers closes October 20, 2026.

Register

Early Bird registration is open, register by January 30, 2027 to save on your ticket. Consider adding a Summit or training to connect with industry peers and deepen your Drupal knowledge.

Sponsor

A variety of sponsorship packages are available, from exhibitor booths and high-visibility branding to smaller events like the Business Leaders Dinner, Summits, and training. Explore sponsorship opportunities and find your right fit.

Volunteer

Want to give back to the Drupal community while making DrupalCon Orlando 2027 an unforgettable experience? Volunteer applications are open for a new set of committees. Explore volunteer opportunities. Apply by October 30, 2026.

Attend

If you need financial assistance to attend DrupalCon Orlando 2027, this is your chance! The Inclusion and Community Scholarships are now open. Apply by October 30, 2026.

Participate

Can't make it to a Drupal event? You can still enter the Mascot Contest featuring an alligator. Be it a plushy, a photo, or a friend in a gator costume! If you prefer to stay off social media, let us know and we’ll post it anonymously for you.

This roundup is adapted from the DA Insider, the Drupal Association's monthly newsletter. Want it in your inbox? Subscribe to email communications and browse previous editions.