2024 PHXDW Conference

Phoenix Design Week is a week-long celebration of design organized by AIGA Arizona to unite our state’s design community and provide a forum for sharing best practices, showcasing exceptional work and gaining inspiration.

The PHXDW Conference is the main event during Phoenix Design Week — a two-day industry conference for graphic designers, illustrators, writers, UI/UX designers, content managers, marketing professionals and people who work with them. For 2024, we’re celebrating this 16th annual PHXDW at Phoenix Convention Center for two full days of creative jumpstarts, workshops and friendship. With a theme of “Oasis” we invite you to step away from the constant deadlines and demands of daily life, relax with us, and get your creative battieries refreshed and recharged.

Keynote Speakers signed on for 2024 currently include:

Natalie Kent, Creative Director at Focus Lab

Nikki Villagomez, Author of Culture + Typography

Brian Wood, Learning Content Creator, Brian Wood Training, Adobe MAX

Evelio Mattos, Creative Director at IDP Direct and Podcast Host of Packaging Unboxd

James Archer, Fractional CMO and marketing consultant for growth-stage companies

Ken Phox, Creative Director, President of Tequila Corrido

Joseph Carter-Brown, Experience Designer

Panel: Bob Case, Eric Torres, Jon Arvizu with GG LeMere moderating.

Basic Saturday and Sunday Schedule:

Overall hours for each day will be as follows. Each day will include four keynotes on the main stage, plus two breakout sessions of 6 presentations each. CHECK OUT THE BASIC AGENDA ABOVE and all the detailed session descriptions at phxdw.com/schedule.
Saturday, October 5: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Sunday, October 6: 9:00AM – 5:00PM

Updates will be coming at you on social media (follow #phxdw), and directly in email, so be sure you’re on the mailing list to get the latest! Continuing conference announcements for attendees will be sent via Eventbrite confirmation emails.

The two-day PHXDW Conference pass includes:

• Access to all main stage keynote talks and educational breakout sessions presented by national and local design leaders
• Two full days of programming, on both Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6
• Admission to the “Friday Flip Doodle” pre-conference reception on Friday, October 4 featuring Eric Torres
• Free gift poster

Please note that all other standalone Phoenix Design Week events from October 1-6, 2024 are NOT included in the conference registration. See all PHXDW community events here.

Preorder your official PHXDW 2024 Oasis branded t-shirt and save!

Put in your shirt order now and we’ll have your size ready and waiting for you to pick up at the conference! Preorder pricing is $17.50 (will be $20.00 on site). Scroll down to the”add-on” section on the order form below the registration options.

More Ways to Save

Become an AIGA member and get perks too.

AIGA members save up to $100 over non-member pricing, waived transaction fees, a free PHXDW 2024 t-shirt, and we’ll have some secret bonuses at the conference especially for members, too. You will need to enter your AIGA membership number and current year expiration date on the order form to qualify.

Learn more about membership options and join at http://www.aiga.org/join/, then return to this site and enter your AIGA member number and expiration date to qualify for Member registration. AIGA memberships are issued by the national AIGA organization, are portable to any chapter across the US, and can be billed quarterly. Want someone to walk you through it? Contact us locally at membership@arizona.aiga.org.

DID YOU KNOW? It’s a particularly good time to become an AIGA member to get your PHXDW discount! Because all membership terms are annual, if you sign up for early for a 2025 membership now, you get the rest of 2024 free! See the special offer here, check out the options, do the math, and see how you can save!

Other Discount Opportunities

• Affiliate discounts offered to members of our sister professional organizations (AAF PHX, AZIMA, AMA, and PRSA).
• Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) designation may also choose the Affiliate discount level (have your organization’s EIN ready to enter on the order form)
• Students and teachers receive up to half off, and waived transaction fees; choose Student/Faculty option.
• One-Day Options: Can’t make it both days of the conference? One-Day registration for either Saturday, October 5 or Sunday, October 6 is now available.
• Group Rebates: Five or more qualified attendees from the same organization; check the “We’re a Group” box on the order form at the end of your transaction, and subsequently receive a rebate of 5% back on your Early Bird / 10% on Advance / 15% Full price order, refunded back to your credit card. Does not apply to already discounted Student/Faculty, One-Day, or other special offers.
• Support PHXDW with a sponsorship that includes conference passes (see section below)

Become a Sponsor

A conference of this caliber at such reasonable ticket prices simply would not be possible without the generous monetary and in-kind contributions of our sponsors — dedicated companies and individuals who want to demonstrate their commitment to Arizona’s design community by standing behind Phoenix Design Week. Packages that include sponsor passes, promotions, and exhibition spaces are available starting at the $500 tier. If you or your company would be interested in having your name, products or services highlighted to the Phoenix Design Week audience, send a note to sponsorship@arizona.aiga.org for more information. Thank you!

Sponsor A Student Donation

Enable a deserving student to attend PHXDW 2024 so they can experience what it means to participate in their greater design community. Add-on student sponsorships are only $150 and cover the attendance cost for students currently enrolled at a college or university in a design-related field. As a student sponsor, you can choose one (or more!) student(s) from those who apply for scholarship, or have AIGA AZ select a student for you. Your contact information will be shared with the student, or you may remain anonymous. Scroll down to the Add-On section of the order form to choose this option. Students who wish to apply for scholarship, fill out the form here no later than September 10.

The Details

Location and Transportation

The conference will be held in the West Building of the Phoenix Convention Center, Room 301A. In the heart of downtown Phoenix within walking distance of hotels, entertainment and restaurants, the center has a dedicated stop on the METRO Light Rail line, and is about fifteen minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Paid Parking: The entrance to the dedicated Phoenix Convention Center parking garage is at 185 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, the southeast corner of 2nd Street and Monroe. The next closest is the Regency Garage with the entrance on 2nd Street just south of Adams. Other garages and street parking are available nearby, with the nearest light rail stops at 3rd St./Washington, 3rd St./Jefferson and Central/Washington.

Lodging Information

We’ve made arrangements for our out-of-town guests as well as local staycationers at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, right across the street from the convention center. Reserve online and get a discounted rate of $209/night with the code CHEERS.

Dining Options

Lunch breaks will be 1.5 hours, allowing you enough time to visit one of the many downtown restaurants within walking distance. We also offer a preordered catered box lunch for $35, see Add-Ons section of order form for options. Orders for on-site lunches must be placed by noon on 9/27.

Registration Information

Registration to the PHXDW Conference does not include admittance to all Phoenix Design Week events. Other standalone offsite Phoenix Design Week events at other venues statewide scheduled from October 1–6, 2024 may have separate ticket pricing. Keep an eye on your email and the website at phxdw.com for details.

Refunds and Cancellations

There are no refunds on registration purchases; however, you may either:

• Transfer your registration to another person by notifying us no later than Friday, October 4, 2024. Your request must include your name and email address as well as that of the person who will be attending in your place. If you have registered as an AIGA member, your substitute attendee must also be an AIGA member; additional higher price may apply for non-members.
• Request a credit to be applied toward next year’s conference by notifying us no later than Friday, October 4, 2024. If you are holding a credit or transfer from a past year, please contact treasurer@arizona.aiga.org.
• If AIGA Arizona, the venue, or world events cause us to cancel the event altogether, we will issue refunds on all registrations less any nonrefundable fees or costs out of the control of AIGA Arizona.

Speakers and Schedule

While we make every effort to confirm our speakers’ participation prior to the event, we cannot guarantee that the published speaker list or schedule will be exactly as presented online. Speakers and schedule are subject to change without notice. Speakers’ presentations and viewpoints are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of AIGA Arizona. We are not responsible for the content of every presentation; please be aware that adult language, visuals or topics may be included.

Land Acknowledgement

AIGA Arizona acknowledges that this event is being held on the land of the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People, stewarded today by the Akimel O’odham (Pima), Tohono O’odham, as well as the Pee Posh (Maricopa), who are the indigenous peoples of this land. We acknowledge the sovereignty of all Native Nations within the state of Arizona, and recognize our responsibility to honor Indigenous People, their culture, and their legacy as thriving contemporary communities by advocating for inclusive and diverse practices for all design-related institutions.

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WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND AIGA AZ EVENTS?

• You may learn some stuff
• You’ll definitely meet some cool people
• We like to give away freebies
• Networking can help further your career, no matter where you are on that journey
• It’s how you learn about volunteer opportunities—from joining the board to mentorship
• It means supporting us, which means supporting our creative community so we can bring you bigger and better programs all year long

GOTTA HAVE FINE PRINT

• Speakers’ presentations and viewpoints are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of AIGA Arizona. We are not responsible for the content of every presentation; please be aware that adult language, visuals or topics may sometimes be included.
• Your registration constitutes permission to use photos, audio, and video recording taken of you at the event for promotional and educational purposes in connection with AIGA Arizona, and places you on the master mailing list.
• AIGA Arizona follow the AIGA Code of Conduct. We reserve the right to refuse admittance for violations of this Code, or other unlawful or disruptive actions. Any concerns should be addressed to the AIGA Arizona president.
• Phoenix Design Week is a non-profit event , wholly owned and presented by AIGA Arizona, a 501(c)(3) organization.