2025 PHXDW Conference: Rooted

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 2025, we’re celebrating this 17th annual PHXDW at Phoenix Convention Center for two full days of creative jumpstarts, workshops and friendship. With a theme of “Rooted” we invite you to dig deep — to return to your roots as a designer, reconnect with your craft, find common ground with your community, and grow together.

Keynote Speakers already signed on for 2025 currently include:

Dan Janssen, Chief Creative Officer at Lincoln Design Co

Emily Cohen, Consultant, Speaker and Author on the business of design

Bill Gardner, Founder of Logo Lounge, Creative Director of Gardner Design

Laura Worthington, Typeface Designer at Laura Worthington Design

Sadie Red Wing, Advocate for Tribal Visual Sovereignty

Mike Janda, Mentor for Creative Entrepreneurs at More Creative Academy

together with emcee Paul Mendoza and more to come!

Changing it up for 2025 with a Friday and Saturday two-day conference schedule!

If you’ve been with us in any previous year, the two-day PHXDW conference has always been held on Saturday and Sunday — but we’ve heard you don’t want to give up both days of your weekend — so we’re changing things up for 2025: the two-day schedule will be held on Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20 instead. We’re still developing the actual schedule for each day, which will introduce some Friday morning workshops along with a Rooted Reception with the speakers after the conference sessions on Friday.

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 Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20
• Admission to the Rooted Reception after day one of the conference on Friday, September 19
• Admission to the Phoenix Design Week Closing Party hosted at Artisan Colour on Friday, September 26
• Free gift poster
• One-day and individual workshops will be available in August after the Early Bird and Advance ticket promotion windows end.
• Group rebate discounts for groups of 5 or more available in June after the already discounted Early Bird registration period. See more under “Other Discount Opportunities” below.

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EARLY BIRDS SAVE UP TO 35% UNTIL MAY 31

Grab your spot now and get a free PHXDW 2025 t-shirt, too! Plus our Early Birds will also get their choice of add-on Friday morning workshops at no additional charge (after May 31, some workshops may have a fee).

Hurry before this offer flies away, it’s the first 100 spots to fill or May 31, 2025, whichever comes first.

AIGA Members: $199 (will be $299)

Affiliate Members/Nonprofits: $249 (will be $359)

Non-Members: $299 (will be $399)

Student/Faculty AIGA Members: $99 (will be $169)

Student/Faculty Non-Members: $149 (will be $249)

(Group rebates not available on already discounted Early Bird rates, see more below)
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Please note that all other standalone Phoenix Design Week events from September 19-26, 2025 are NOT included in the conference registration.

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, and 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 [email protected].

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 and individual workshop tickets will be available in August after the Early Bird and Advance ticket promotion windows end.
• 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 10% back on your on Advance (June 1-July 31) or 15% Full price (August 1-September 20) order, refunded back to your original method of payment. Does not apply to already discounted Early Bird, 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 [email protected] for more information. Thank you!

Sponsor A Student Donation

Enable a deserving student to attend PHXDW 2025 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. Click RESERVE A SPOT then SCROLL DOWN to the ADD-ON section of the order form to choose this option. Students interested in applying for sponsorship, watch for submission announcements.

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 is available in the convention center garage and at other facilities within walking distance. Reserve in advance, see rates and other options here.

Lodging Information

We are working on arrangements for our out-of-town guests as well as local staycationers, stay tuned for announcements.

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 will also be offering a preordered catered box lunch for $35 on Saturday, September 20 only. After you choose your registration (member, non-member, student, etc.) SCROLL DOWN to the ADD-ONs section of order form. Pay for your lunch in the same transaction, then we’ll contact you with the exact menu in September. You can also return here to Eventbrite and order your lunch later.

Cancellation and Refund Options

• Transfer 100% of your registration to another person by notifying us no later than Thursday, September 18, 2025. 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 100% credit to be applied toward next year’s conference by notifying us no later than Thursday, September 18, 2025. If you are holding a credit or transfer from a past year, please contact [email protected].
• Cancel and request a partial refund of your registration at these levels: 80% Early Bird / 75% Advance / 50% Full Price / 0% Late Registration
• 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.

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.