The 10th annual Phoenix Design Week will kick off on Oct. 5 and end with a closing party on October 12. The event celebrates creatives from Arizona and all over the world and invites them to work on their skills and network with fellow artists.
The Beyond Design conference, the week’s key event, will be held Oct. 6 and 7 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Keynote speakers include Aaron Draplin, founder of Draplin Design Co.; Amin Vit, co-founder of UnderConsideration; and Lynn Fisher, designer at &yet.
There is an exclusive conference add-on available that allows attendees to workshop skills like sketching and using Adobe Illustrator directly with Aaron Draplin for a $60 fee ($45 for American Institute of Graphic Arts members and $75 for tickets at the door).
Phoenix Design Week was founded in 2009 and is currently owned and operated by the American Institute of Graphic Arts.
“The Beyond Design Conference and the programming throughout the week provide an array of incredible opportunities for creatives of all stages to up their game and make new friends in the industry,” Jenn Monroy, Phoenix Design Week 2018 director and AIGA Phoenix chapter manager, said in a statement.
“We’re excited to bring in some industry heavy-hitters as conference keynotes and look forward to making this the biggest and best Phoenix Design Week yet,” Monroy said. “This event helps boost the energy of our local community and shines a spotlight on Phoenix as one of the greatest creative cities in the country.”
While the event invites designers from all over the world, there will be a spotlight exhibition for Arizonan designers who will compete for a “people’s choice” award. Submissions are open until Sept. 14.
Tickets to the full Beyond Design conference cost $399 for non-AIGA members and $299 for members. A one-day ticket costs $179 for non-members and $149 for members. Student/faculty and group discounts are available.
Besides the conference, there will be much cheaper, and even free, events offered for the remainder of the week throughout Phoenix. Those events include a film screening, an Adobe XD competition, calligraphy, and flatlay workshops and plenty of opportunities for networking over coffee and breakfast.
