Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

The 16th Annual Phoenix Design Week, which celebrates Arizona’s strong design community, will return this fall with creative exhibitions, educational workshops, lively presentations, networking opportunities and inspirational open houses held throughout the state. The week-long community event will kick off Tuesday, October 1 and culminate with the PHXDW Conference Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 and 6. 

Phoenix Design Week brings together creatives from Arizona and across the country to celebrate their craft, learn from one another, enhance connections and make new friends. The pinnacle event of Phoenix Design Week is the annual PHXDW Conference, a two-day conference that will take place on October 5 and 6 at the Phoenix Convention Center. This year, the conference is themed “Oasis” as it will serve as a gathering place for creative minds to converge, and be revitalized and invigorated by the refreshing waters of creativity, collaboration and connection.  

“Phoenix Design Week and the conference is the one time of year that creatives from all pockets of the industry and state come together to celebrate the creative community, but also learn, grow, form new collaborations and cultivate new ideas,” said Sheila Schmacher, PHXDW Director. “Community is truly one of the most important aspects of Phoenix Design Week, and really the mission of Arizona AIGA. During this week, we will challenge each other to dream bigger than ever before, designing a future together. We can’t wait to see what will emerge from PHXDW 24.”

This year’s conference, which is expected to draw more than 500 creatives, will deliver provocative speakers, interactive panels and hands-on workshops led by a rich lineup of local, regional and national speakers, including:

• Bob Case, president and chief creative officer, LAVIDGE

• Jon Arvizu, illustrator and printmaker at Trapdoor Studio

• GG Lemere, founder and creative principal, Smidge Design Studio

• Brian Wood, content strategy manager for Adobe MAX, author, speaker and trainer

• Joseph Carter-Brown, senior design lead at Think Company

• Nikki Villagomez, CMO at Bernard Robinson & Company, author of “Culture + Typography”

• Ken Phox, president at Tequila Corrido

• Natalie Kent, creative director at Focus Labs, 

• Evelio Mattos, packaging designer for global brands, author, podcaster

• James Archer, fractional CMO for growth-stage companies

Tracks and sessions will cover topics including, the importance of design as business, creative principles for branding and business growth, the importance of beauty in our society, the value of the creative community in Arizona, and more. In the week leading up to the conference, there will be various “activations” throughout the state, including a Friday Flip Doodle with the creator of the drawing game, Eric Torres.

What: Phoenix Design Week 2024 (PHXDW 24)

When: Oct. 1 - Oct. 6, 2024

Where: Phoenix Convention Center and throughout the state

Registration and information: https://phxdw.com/