Feature

20+ of the best design conferences

to attend in 2020

Stories

Neon Moiré Show #33

HIlversum, The Netherlands

Neon Moiré Show #32

Breda, The Netherlands

Calendar

January 2020

January 16

In/Visible Talks 2020

📍 San Francisco, USA

In/Visible Talks is a conference for creative professionals that celebrates the art of design. In 2020, In/Visible Talks asks their speakers—and attendees—to GO BEYOND the expected perspectives, guardrails, materials, and thinking. The creative process isn’t always a linear one and there’s much to be gained by hearing how others have navigated the rich and variegated landscape of people, ideas, deadlines, and passion. In/Visible Talks program focuses on fresh takes and honest talks about the process, inspiration, and challenges behind the creative practice.

🎟 Tickets

Early Bird $375 General Admission $450

January 22 - 24

Awwwards Conference Tokyo 2020

📍 Tokyo, Japan

A Digital Thinkers conference by Awwwards in Tokyo. A design conference about creating new experiences to sell more and to discover trends, new technologies, network and unveil the secrets of the Internet

🎟 Tickets

¥58,518

January 22 - 23

New Adventures 2020

📍 Nottingham, United Kingdom

New Adventures 2020 will form a clear narrative addressing significant issues facing humanity: the climate crisis and what design-minded practitioners can do about it; privilege and modern ethics; speculative design, and the ways designers can encourage conversations to serve people better, and avoid ethical catastrophes in the future. Kickstarting a new decade, this fifth adventure will explore speculative, strategic and critical design, radical inclusivity, climate and sustainability, and the perennial question of what happens next.

🎟 Tickets

£165 — conference early bird. £195 — conference regular. £100 — conference student. £275 — full-day workshop.
Promocode: Get 10% discount on your ticket: NEONNEON10

January 29 - 30

Design Matters Tokyo

📍 Tokyo, Japan

A Design Matters pop-up in Tokyo. Created by designers, for designers! The design conference brings together practitioners from the best and most happening companies around the world for two days of design talks, workshops, discussions and socializing in Tokyo.

🎟 Tickets

¥35,000

February 2020

February 02 - 07

Interaction 20

📍 Milan, Italy

The 13th annual interaction design conference. 3 days of conference, 80 talks. Interaction 20 gives voice to a diverse range of points of view. Theme this year, A New Dawn, will explore the meaning and evolution of our practice and approaches, now that we have begun to design almost anything for anywhere.

🎟 Tickets

€1500

February 04 - 08

Fig.

📍 Liege, Belgium

4th edition of Fig., a graphic design festival taking place in Liège. The festival offers a program of conferences, exhibitions, workshops and round tables. The objective of this event is to discover the many facets of contemporary graphic design.

February 05 - 07

Pause Fest 2020

📍 Melbourne, Australia

Pause Fest is an independent, industry driven movement with a mission to bring diverse intelligence together to fuel the next generation forward. Join the movement, be the change, make progress.

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Barbara Soalheiro
David Sheldon-Hicks
Paul Francis

🎟 Tickets

From $95

February 15

Variable font workshop with Typearture

📍 Amsterdam, Netherlands

On February, 15th 2020 digital design agency GRRR and Neon Moiré organize a one day workshop about variable fonts. The workshop is lead by Arthur Reinders Folmer from Typearture. You will learn about the variable font technology and how to implement it in css, but you will also create a working variable font yourself!

🎟 Tickets

€50

February 21 - 22

Mouvo vol. 5

📍 Prague, Czech Republic

Festival presenting motion design in all of its forms. Ubiquitous and creative dynamic filed combining graphic design, animation, video, special effects and new technologies.

🎟 Tickets

60/100/150 EUR

February 24 - 25

FITC Amsterdam 2020

📍 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Now in its 13th year, FITC Amsterdam features the world’s most innovative, technical and creative talks that will inspire you to pursue your dreams and create your very best work. You’ll have the opportunity to meet and mingle with like-minded individuals who have the potential to become key collaborators throughout your career. Connect with people who share your creative passion, whether in the exhibitor hall or at one of the legendary after-parties. Who knows, you could meet your next business partner, employee, mentor or boss at FITC.

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Aramique
Beeple
Matt DesLauriers
Jared Ficklin
Vera-Maria Glahn
Timothy Goodman
Joyce N. Ho
David Hogue
Hayley Hughes
Anna Kipnis
Valtteri Laihanen
Christian Mio Loclair
Dot Lung
Justin Maller
OUCHHH
Playmodes
Mate Steinforth
Gavin Strange
Carl Sziebert
Tina Touli
Timoni West
Ruben Verborgh
Lisa Walters

🎟 Tickets

SUPER EARLY BIRD €239 Ends Dec 1, 2019 EARLY BIRD €299 Ends Jan 19, 2020 REGULAR €399 After Jan 19, 2020 STUDENT - CONFERENCE €129 Two full days and nights (Feb 24-25)
Promocode: Save 10% with discount code 'neonmoire'

February 26 - 28

Design Indaba Conference 2020

📍 Cape Town , South Africa

2oth Anniversary of Design Indaba! Design Indaba is an annual conference and digital platform with an aim to help create a better world through creativity.

February 27 - 29

LADFEST - Latin AmericanDesign

📍 Lima, Peru

6th edition of Ladfest annual event with conferences, workshops, exhibitions are held, among other activities in order to promote, disseminate and position Latin American design

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Hey
Catalina Bu
After

🎟 Tickets

mega early bird $85 early bird $95 Regular $105 Students $55

March 2020

March 04 - 06

Leading Design SF

📍 San Francisco, USA

Leading Design brings together experts who lead design teams, oversee design direction and instill a culture of design within their organizations. This will be the fifth year of Leading Design, organized by Clearleft.

🎟 Tickets

$1495

March 13 - 22

South by Southwest (SXSW)

📍 Austin, United States

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery.

🎟 Tickets

From $ 375

March 16 - 20

FLA: Design Thinking & Innovation Week

📍 London, United Kingdom

Design Thinking & Innovation Week created by Future London Academy is a 5-day programme for creative entrepreneurs, designers and business owners – introducing you to London's most innovative businesses and uncovering the latest approaches to design thinking and innovation. Every day will consist of lectures, round tables and visits to the top companies who adopted the human-centered approach, where you will meet the teams behind their latest research and innovation.

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Harri Nieminen
Ekaterina Solomeina

🎟 Tickets

£2,200

March 19 - 21

IAM Weekend 2020

📍 Barcelona, Spain

6th edition of IAM Weekend. It's a one of a kind annual event that discovers, inspires and interconnects diverse perspectives on the post-technological futures of everything: from work, design and power to media, education and the arts. This years research theme is "The Weirdness of Interdependencies"

🎟 Tickets

From €99

March 30 - 01 Apr

AIGA Design Conference 2020

📍 Pittsburgh, United States

The AIGA Design Conference brings the design community together to experience provocative speakers, local culture, nightly networking receptions, competitions, exhibitions, professional development sessions and face-to-face roundtables with your design heroes.

🎟 Tickets

Nonmember prices! Through October 23, 2019: $1,095. October 24, 2019 through January 22, 2020: $1,295. January 23 through March 25, 2020: $1,495. Prices for members, educators and students are cheaper.

March 30 - 31

UX Copenhagen 2020

📍 Copenhagen, Denmark

The sixth edition of UX Copenhagen a premium, two-day conference for professionals working with and around User Experience (UX) Design. You will hear about some of the newest trends in UX and Design, presented by a diverse panel of speakers ranging from gurus to people new to the field, from companies that range from being front-runners in User Experience to those who are just starting to create UX teams. UX Copenhagen always feature startups and strive to bring in speakers and participants who are taking User Experience to a new level. This year the conference focus on "Influence & Designing for Good"

April 2020

April 02 - 05

STRP Festival 2020

📍 Eindhoven, Netherlands

STRP Festival is a critical optimistic exploration into positive futurism and the role that artists and technology can play. The festival initiates, produces and presents innovative art and visions whereby creative technology has a significant role.

April 03 - 05

Offset Dublin

📍 Dublin, Ireland

11th edition of OFFSET Dublin. OFFSET is a 3 day creative conference on creativity and bringing together the best in International and Irish creative talent in graphic design, illustration, street and fine art, film, photography, moving image and much, much more.

🎟 Tickets

Student Ticket €125 Recent Grad Ticket €170 Professional Ticket €245

April 16 - 17

Forward Festival Vienna

📍 Vienna, Austria

The Forward Festival stands for interesting talks and personal interaction with the most renowned minds from the fields of design, creativity and communication, who reveal their experiences, personal success and learnings to the audience. Next to presentations and talks, the extensive program consists of workshops, student talks, after show parties, live performances and happenings as well as the expo area. This program will once again be expanded for the 5th anniversary and will offer many specials and surprises for its visitors.

🎟 Tickets

€ 199 Regular € 95 Student

April 19 - 21

FITC Toronto 2020

📍 Toronto, Canada

19th year of #FITCToronto! It’s the Future of Innovation, Technology, and Creativity in Toronto. FITC Toronto is a professional celebration of the best the world has to offer in design, digital development, media and innovation in creative technologies – three days and nights of presentations, parties, installations and performances that unite and transform the industry.

🎟 Tickets

$799
Promocode: Save $200 off your ticket with discount code with discount code 'neonmoire'

April 20 - 24

SmashingConf SF

📍 San Francisco, USA

The Smashing Conference is a four-day event for professional web designers and web developers.

🎟 Tickets

Super Early Bird — 399 USD Early Bird — 499 USD Regular — 599 USD Last Tickets — 699 USD Workshop — 499 USD Conference + 1 Workshop Ticket — 998 USD Conference + 2 Workshop Tickets — 1397 USD

April 23 - 25

OFFF Barcelona 2020

📍 Barcelona, Spain

20th edition of OFFF Barcelona. Born as a post-digital culture festival, now feeding the future through a 3-day design conferences, workshops and performances by the most relevant artists of our time. OFFF hosts innovative and international talents to share their insightful experiences. It’s the key meeting point for all talents around the world to unite and collaborate.

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

🎟 Tickets

Regular 199.65€ Early Bird 180.00€ Mega Early Bird 150.00€

April 27 - 29

beyond tellerrand // DÜSSELDORF 2020

📍 Düsseldorf, Germany

This is number 10! Ten editions of beyond tellerrand in Düsseldorf. Join beyond tellerrand to celebrate 10 years of creativity, inspiration, learning and meeting with a lovely group of people each and every year. The main conference is taking place on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th and as usual, beyond tellerrand has a lot of other things planned around those dates with side events and workshops. The organization, Marc Thiele, is planning some special surprises for the 10th edition. Not sure what it is going to be, but let’s find out … Get your tickets from September 30th, 2019 on. See you in Düsseldorf!

🎟 Tickets

Early Bird €199 Regular Pass €299

May 2020

May 06 - 09

and& Leuven

📍 Leuven, Belgium

Second edition of and&. and& is a one of a kind summit & festival at the intersection of health, high-tech and creativity. and& is bound by the desire to make cities of the future a better place to live in. Curated for the curious, and& champions a well-selected worldwide collage of thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, citizens & artists of all backgrounds.

May 13 - 17

Pictoplasma  Conference & Festival  2020 Berlin

📍 Berlin, Germany

The 16th annual Pictoplasma Berlin Festival awaits all international character pioneers, creators, artists, newcomers, and enthusiasts for a special 5-day celebration of contemporary character design and art!

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Genie Espinosa
Joseph Melhuish
Niki Lindroth von Bahr
Sarina Nihei
Will Anderson

May 20 - 23

The Design Conference 2020

📍 Brisbane, Australia

The Design Conference is an event for creatives. They discuss more than the future of design — but what design means in the hearts and minds of the world's favorite creative leaders. By being transparent and vulnerable, The Design Conference engineers an experience that is designed to move, motivate, educate and connect.

🎟 Tickets

Ultra Early (May 2019) — Save 50% Super Early (Dec 2019) — Save 40% Early (Jan 2020) — Save 20%
Promocode: 20% Off Coupon launching March 15.

May 21

WXG

📍 Guildford, UK

Now in its eighth year, WXG is an all-day tech conference exploring what we can achieve when we work together.

🎟 Tickets

£180.00

May 28 - 30

Berlin Letters

📍 Berlin, Germany

Berlin Letters is a festival for lettering, sign painting, calligraphy and type design. Three days of exchange and inspiration for designers and all font enthusiasts - with great speakers, professional workshops and Halligalli. For listening, watching, hand-laying. And of course to meet people and networks.

🎟 Tickets

300

May 29

CXI Brand Conference

📍 Bielefeld, Germany

The 12th edition of CXI Brand talks! CXI is a one-day brand and corporate identity event organized by Bielefeld School of Design. During the sessions questions like "What defines the effectiveness of a corporate identity project?", "What exactly is needed, from both client and agency?", and "how can such a complex process be implemented in a way that works?" will be addressed, next to showcasing re-designs for big brands.

🎟 Tickets

Students: € 15

June 2020

June 03 - 05

99U Conference 2020

📍 New York, United States

The 99U Conference is to shift the focus from idea generation to idea execution. Learn from the world’s top thinkers and doers in a series of main stage talks over two days. 99U speakers offer pragmatic, real-world insights that transcend creative sectors. This will be the 12th edition.

🎟 Tickets

US $ 999

June 08 - 11

Eyeo Festival 2020

📍 Minneapolis , United States

Since 2011, the annual Eyeo Festival brings together creative coders, data designers, and creators working at the intersection of data, art & technology for talks, workshops, labs, and events.

🎟 Tickets

Tickets available soon

June 08 - 11 Jul

TypeParis

📍 Paris, France

TypeParis is a 5-week typeface design program, which started in 2015. The programme is in English and covers the learning of know-how in typeface design and calligraphy techniques, type history, and modern software practices.

June 20 - 03 Jul

Design West Summer School

📍 Letterfrack , Ireland

Design West — Ireland’s exciting new International Design Summer School, set in Connemara on the Wild Atlantic Way, is now open for applications. Design West facilitates both individual and collaborative approaches to the making of 2D and 3D design expressions, including visual communication, installations, abstract and environmental design.

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Erik Brandt
Brankica Harvey
Conor Clarke

🎟 Tickets

€1800
Promocode: The final deadline for applications is Friday 22 May 2020.

June 22 - 26

FLA: Future of Branding Week

📍 London, United Kingdom

Future of Branding Week created by Future London Academy is an immersive 5-day programme that explores how brands can express themselves using new channels and evolving technologies and create design that will last for generations. The programme includes talks, round-table discussions, fireside chats, mini-workshops, studio visits and case study deep dives. With topics ranging from trend forecasting, brand innovation and new tech to custom typography, SMM and design trends – you will be able to get a fresh perspective on branding and learn new strategic tools. You will also have a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the most influential agencies in London and spend a week with 25 inspiring fellow creatives from around the world.

🎟 Tickets

£2,200

June 28 - 01 Jul

ICON Conference

📍 Kansas City, USA

Since 1999, ICON, the Illustration Conference, brings together top illustrators, designers, educators, representatives, and art buyers to explore the future of illustration. With more than 60 speakers on stage over four days, ICON is committed to providing a diverse forum for an ongoing dialogue that serves the illustration, design, publishing, advertising, and academic communities.

🎟 Tickets

Tickets will be available soon.

August 2020

August 10 - 14

FLA: UX & Digital Design Week

📍 London, United Kingdom

UX and Digital Design Week created by Future London Academy is a 5-day programme that will give you inspiration for your current projects and advice on how to build a design team of your dreams. You will find out the secrets of what makes products successful and what mistakes companies made when they were building new services. Some people call the format a 'design safari', some say it's a VIP behind-the-scenes experience or a research trip. This is a very fresh way to learn and explore the industry. And the best part is – you will spend this week as a part of a small group of 30 like-minded entrepreneurs, UX designers and product managers from around the globe.

🎟 Tickets

£2,200

August 24 - 27

beyond tellerrand // BERLIN 2020

📍 Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s no. 7. beyond tellerrand is back in Berlin to celebrate creativity and inspiration. Come and join us for motivating, thoughtful and educational talks, workshops and side events. The main show takes place on August 25th and 26th with workshops and side events around these two days. As you might recognize we moved the event from November to September and maybe we are able to use the lovely outside area of the venue as well this time. Registration opens January 20th, 2020.

🎟 Tickets

Early Bird €199 Regular Pass €299

September 2020

September 23 - 24

Design Matters 20

📍 Copenhagen, Denmark

Design Matters is a 2-day conference on Digital Design. Created by designers, for designers! The design conference brings together practitioners from the best and most happening companies around the world for two days of design talks, workshops, discussions and socializing in Copenhagen.

🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️ Speakers

Catt Small
Joël van Bodegraven
Daria Loi

September 24 - 26

Us by Night 5 - design & creativity festival

📍 Antwerp, Belgium

The 5th edition of Us by Night a design & creativity festival that turned into a unique night experience. With an inspiring lineup of 70+ artists and an endless market, it's guaranteed to provide you 3 nights you don't want to miss.

🎟 Tickets

Student Combi €110 Super Early Bird €110 Very limited quantity! Early Bird €135 Limited quantity! Combi €155

November 2020

November 02 - 04

beyond tellerrand // MUNICH 2020

📍 Munich, Germany

We are back in Munich! Join us for the second edition in Munich after 2018. Two days with exciting talks plus workshops and Side Events around those two days. The core event, the conference with talks and 500+ people, is taking place on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd of November 2020. Ticket sale starts April 1st. Stay tuned for more information soon.

🎟 Tickets

Early Bird €199 Regular Pass €299

November 05 - 08

KIKK Festival 2020

📍 Namur, Belgium

The 10th edition of KIKK, a multi-track festival on the intersection of art, science & tech to explore the economic and artistic implications of new technologies. The conference is on Thursday and Friday, all exhibitions are also open on Saturday and Sunday.The event gathers people of all backgrounds from all around the world. They are designers, scientists, makers, entrepreneurs, artists, architects, developers or musicians.