10 design conferences you can’t miss in 2025

Do you want to breathe new life into your creative process? Or are you looking to network with other creative professionals and brush up on the latest trends and techniques in the design world? Design conferences are the place to do all that and more.

Design conferences take place around the world all year long. You’ll have plenty of options catering to every niche field in the creative industries, so be sure to do your research depending on your location, budget, and what you want to get out of the event.

2025 will deliver some incredible design events. Whether you work in UX, the visual arts, product design, or another creative field, now is the time to start planning your itinerary.

We’ve compiled a list of 10 design conferences we think should be high on every designer’s list.

These are the can’t-miss design events taking place in the US in 2025:

CreativePro Week

Phoenix, AZ + online | June 2–6, 2025

If you are a creative working with the Adobe product suite, this is the conference for you.

Suitable for all skill levels, this conference covers the how-tos of using InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat. There are even some Microsoft PowerPoint presentations thrown into the mix because who doesn’t love a well-designed deck?

CreativePro Week is your chance to learn more about these creative tools and how to make the most of them in your next project.

Insight Out Conf 2025

A two-day multi-track industry conference powered by Dovetail.

San Francisco, CA | Day 1: April  23–24 , 2025

Insight Out Conf 2025 is bringing together teams to celebrate the power of shared customer knowledge. From design to go-to-market, customer experience, and beyond—join the global conversation and dive into the latest in CX, AI technology, and big ideas from product pioneers. Immerse yourself in the latest techniques and tools and explore how technology is breaking down borders between teams, igniting creativity, and driving world-changing innovation.

Shift your perspective. Discover the unexpected. Turn it inside out.

UXDX USA 2025

New York, NY + online | May 12–14, 2025

UXDX wants to help you build more effective, efficient, and sustainable product teams. There is something for every phase of the development process at this conference, which brings together the worlds of UX, design, and development to help build better products.

The conference is noted for its impressive speaker lineup, which last year included guests from Reddit, GitHub, Spotify, Google, Niantic, and many more.

If you can’t make it in person, UXDX offers a great online package.

AIGA

Los Angeles, CA + online | October 9–11, 2025

One of the largest design conferences in the world, this is one you don’t want to miss. Each year, AIGA brings together thousands of designers to explore how design can change the future. This event often leaves a lasting impact on the industry.

There will be speakers and discussions, including fireside chats with industry icons. Many attendees find the best part of this design event is the chance to connect with other designers. If networking is your goal, this is the place to be.

For those of you based in or able to travel to Europe, here are our top recommendations for design conferences to attend:

DIBI (Design It, Build It)

Edinburgh, Scotland | March 5–6, 2025

If you want to create better digital products and services, this is where you’ll find new inspiration. You’ll hear from industry-leading speakers, participate in interactive workshops, and have plenty of networking opportunities.

This year’s speaker lineup includes founders, heads of design, and AI ethics consultants. Sessions at DIBI cover everything from UX principles to front-end development.

If your work often blurs the boundaries between design and technology, you’ll want to book tickets to this event.

OFFF

Barcelona, Spain | May 8–10, 2025

OFFF is a three-day conference that allows creative professionals to immerse themselves in a world of inspiration. It features plenty of workshops, keynotes, and immersive events and performances for guests.

This isn’t your usual design conference. It focuses on innovation, whether in the digital arts or motion, graphic, and sound design. If you’re searching for some fresh inspiration, this is the place to be. 

World Design Congress

London, UK | September 9–10, 2025

Coming to London for the first time in 50 years, the World Design Congress will focus on sustainable design in 2025. Companies and designers are becoming increasingly concerned about their impact on the planet, and this will be an interesting conference that explores these concerns in depth and what we can do to reduce our impact.

The two-day event will examine the impact of climate change on design. Speakers and attendees will explore how designers play a role in reducing carbon footprints and boosting biodiversity.

Here are the best design conferences taking place in Asia in 2025:

Nineteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Singapore + online | February 25–27, 2025

If you want to explore the theory of design in depth, this is the place for you. The three-day conference takes an academic approach to design, using theory, case studies, and research-based principles as a launchpad for creating better designs. It will examine design across various disciplines, geographies, and cultures.

Book your tickets to expand your knowledge about why design works (and why it doesn’t always work).

The Design Conference

Brisbane, Australia | June 18–20, 2025

Explore the future of design with other creatives in Australia. The conference offers workshops, discussions, and networking opportunities but promises to be unlike any other design conference you’ve attended before.

While this conference offers insight into the future of design, it emphasizes what design really means to the creatives behind it. It’s a chance to explore why we design and the impact the answer has on the user and designer.

SIGGRAPH Asia 2025

Hong Kong | December 15–18, 2025

This is the go-to conference in Asia for digital artists, animators, game designers, and anyone else excited about design and technology.

The conference offers immersive events where participants can see the latest computer graphics and design techniques. It’s an essential conference if you love tech and visual storytelling. You’re sure to come away with new ideas (and a wish list of emerging tech).

Whether you work in UX, graphic design, product development, or game design, you should consider attending a design conference to bolster your professional skills and network.

Conferences are about more than just exchanging business cards with other designers on a work-funded vacation. They are valuable opportunities to share insights, explore emerging trends, and rethink the role of design in the modern world. A conference could inspire your next project and teach you new skills that you can take back to your team and implement to smash your organizational goals.

If you ever find yourself having to justify attending a conference that you think would be helpful to you and your company, keep these benefits in mind:

• Boosting inspiration and creativity: conferences can recharge your creative batteries by exposing you to new ideas, techniques, and tools. You might come away with a fresh plan for an old idea or be ready to present something new to your team.

• Staying up-to-date on emerging design technology: conferences allow you to learn about and test new digital tools, including rapidly evolving AI and VR technologies. You can experience emerging tech first-hand to see if you want to incorporate it into your current and future work. Designers must also stay up-to-date on sustainable materials, and conferences can offer many insights in this area.

• Learning from experts: conferences allow you to learn from industry pioneers and thought leaders. You can gain insights that reshape how you approach design challenges. They might inspire you to expand your skill set or try new approaches.

• Exploring the why behind design: keynote talks, hands-on workshops, and panel discussions are great for building your knowledge base and exposing yourself to new ideas. These sessions often go beyond how to design and explore the why. Exploring why we design can result in more impactful products.

• Growing your professional network: networking with other creative professionals is one of the best benefits of attending a design conference. You’ll be able to meet other designers, developers, and creatives who can help you achieve your professional goals.

• Finding potential collaborators: conferences enable you to meet potential partners who can bring new skills and perspectives to your next project, pushing the boundaries and making it better than you could on your own.

Buying a ticket to a design conference is the first step, but meaningful participation is the best way to get the most out of these events.

Attending sessions

Conferences are a great place to explore new areas of design and potentially expand your skill set.

Whether you are an industry newcomer or a long-time design veteran, attending sessions can help expand your skills and inspire new ideas. Look for workshops where you can practice new skills and connect with others in your industry. Don’t be afraid to try something new and challenge yourself.

Presenting

Presenting at a design conference is an excellent way to build your professional profile and connect with other industry leaders.

If you are a leader in your industry, start approaching design conferences with ideas for workshops, talks, or hands-on demonstrations. Conferences want to work with creative professionals who bring something unique to the table, whether that’s an insight into their creative process, a case study, or a skill they can teach others.

Showcase your work or ideas

Showcasing your work or ideas at a design conference is a powerful way to stand out and connect with others in your field.

A design conference may allow you to participate in poster presentations or exhibit areas where you can visually display your design projects or research. Here, you can engage directly with attendees who are curious about your work and build your personal or company profile.

If the conference offers pitch sessions, take the chance to present your ideas succinctly to an audience of industry professionals.

The topics typically covered at design conferences vary depending on the type of conference and its specific focus. Most conferences will examine standout designs from the previous year, explore emerging technology and trends, and offer guidance on achieving specific goals.

Look at the conference’s lineup of speakers to understand what they may be covering. Many conferences will publish summaries of the talks to give you a better idea of what each speaker will discuss. This helps you plan your time.

The average cost of attending a design conference varies significantly. Smaller events can cost as little as $100, while larger in-person events might cost $1,000 or more.

Most conferences offer different ticket packages, so you can choose what suits your budget. You may be able to attend online for a fraction of the cost, but you’ll miss out on the in-person networking events.

Look for early bird and group discounts to save on in-person events.

Notable speakers who frequently present at design conferences include industry icons and rising stars in design and technology. You’ll often see designers and developers from significant brands like Meta, Google, Spotify, and Uber. Last year’s AIGA lineup featured several professors of design and psychology.

Most conferences announce their speaker lineup well in advance so you can see who will be there and if they are speaking about topics that interest you.

The biggest design conference in North America is Adobe Max, with over 12,000 attendees and 300 sessions. It’s closely followed by the AIGA conference, which has around 10,000 attendees annually.