From Berlin to Barcelona, here’s a look at the must-attend graphic design conferences that should be on your radar this year.
OFFF Barcelona
16-18 Apr 2026 · Barcelona, Spain
OFFF Barcelona is a leading festival and community for contemporary visual creativity where innovative and emerging talents share their creative processes and explore the future of the global creative industry. It brings together designers, artists, developers, and thinkers for inspiration and collaboration.
offf.barcelonaForward Festival Berlin
27-28 Aug 2026 · Berlin, Germany
Forward Berlin is a two-day gathering with 50+ talks across three stages from designers, directors, and other creative professionals. It also offers workshops, interactive formats, and networking focused on practical knowledge exchange.
forward-festival.com/berlin/overviewOddfest
8-14 Jun 2026 · Helsinki, Finnland
Oddfest is a new kind of creative gathering in Helsinki that blends the energy of a festival with the depth of a conference, blurring the lines between art, business, and society.
oddfest.coUs By Night
24-26 Sep 2026 · Antwerp, Belgium
Us By Night is a design and creativity festival featuring inspirational talks, a vibrant nightmarket, and club programming, built to bond, inspire, and reenergize the creative community.
usbynight.bePictoplasma
7-10 May 2026 · Berlin, Germany
Pictoplasma is the leading festival for contemporary character design, bringing together illustrators, animators, designers, and visual artists from around the world. Hosted in Berlin, it offers talks, exhibitions, screenings, and workshops that explore the future of character-driven storytelling and visual culture.
pictoplasma.comNOW26 Conference
30 May 2026 · Paris, France
NOW26 Conference is a celebration of typography featuring inspiring speakers from graphic, web and motion design, publishing, visual identity, communication, and type design, with talks, discussions, workshops and more.
typeparis.com/now26Birmingham Design Festival
10-12 Jun 2026 · Birmingham, UK
Birmingham Design Festival is a city-wide celebration of design, bringing together creatives from graphic design, illustration, digital, product, and beyond.
It offers talks, workshops, exhibitions, and plenty of chances to meet fellow designers while exploring Birmingham’s vibrant creative scene.
birminghamdesignfestival.org.uk/conferenceCannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
22-26 Jun 2026 · Cannes, Fance
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the world’s leading celebration of marketing, advertising, and brand creativity, often seen as the creative industry’s top stage.
It brings global creative minds and major brands together for a full week of inspiration, bold ideas, and award winning work.
canneslions.comForward Festival Vienna
1-2 Oct 2026 · Vienna, Austria
Forward Festival convenes 1,500+ creatives across industries for 25+ talks by established and emerging voices, sharing insights into creative processes, challenges, and breakthroughs. Interactive workshops and immersive formats invite hands-on experimentation and new ways of thinking.
forward-festival.com/vienna/overviewPOV Budapest
16-20 Sep 2026 · Budapest, Hungary
POV Budapest is a design conference centered on visual practices. It mixes talks and workshops with performances, design walks, and curated side events that spotlight an often overlooked creative scene.
povbudapest.comSXSW London
1-6 Jun 2026 · London, United Kingdom
SXSW London is the new European edition of the iconic SXSW festival, bringing together creativity, culture, technology, and innovation in one multidisciplinary event.
It features talks, performances, exhibitions, and networking opportunities that connect global thinkers, artists, and creators in the heart of London.
sxswlondon.comAll Flows
13–15 May 2026 · Milton Keynes, UK
All Flows is an international creative, design and digital festival bringing together leading artists, designers and innovators for talks, workshops and inspiration. Expect a curated lineup of boundary-pushing speakers and immersive sessions designed to spark fresh ideas and connections.
allflows.liveForward Festival Frankfurt
11–12 Jun 2026 · Frankfurt, Germany
Forward Festival arrives in Frankfurt for the first time, bringing its signature mix of design, creativity, and visual storytelling to the city. Expect two days of inspiring talks, workshops, and fresh perspectives from leading creatives.
forward-festival.com/frankfurt/overviewMOUVO
26-27 Mar 2026 · Prague, Czech Republic
Mouvo is a digital art and motion design conference featuring talks, screenings, and workshops.
mouvo.czSonar+D
18-20 Jun 2026 · Barcelona, Spain
Sónar+D is a creative and tech-focused congress that runs alongside the Sónar Festival in Barcelona, exploring the intersection of art, innovation, and digital culture.
Its program includes talks, panels, performances, and interactive installations that bring together artists, technologists, and industry leaders to share new ideas and emerging trends.
sonar.es/en/programme/sonar-dHatch Conference
16-18 Sep 2026 · Berlin, Germany
Hatch Conference is an invite-only event for senior professionals, with a strong focus on UX and product design.
hatchconference.comBEYOND Conference
date 2026 tba · Manchester, UK
BEYOND is the UK’s leading conference for research and innovation in the creative industries. Attracting a global audience, enjoy three days of fringe events, around 100 speakers across 50+ sessions and workshops, and our 'hands-on' showcase of cutting-edge creative technology.
beyondconference.orgDesign Matters
14-15 Nov 2026 · Tokyo, Japan
Design Matters is a conference about digital design featuring talks, workshops, and interactive installations. It gathers designers and product thinkers to share methods, case studies, and experiments.
designmatters.iomunich creative business week
4-10 May 2026 · Munich, Germany
Munich Creative Business Week (MCBW) is Germany’s largest design event, bringing together creatives, companies, and cultural institutions for a full week of talks, exhibitions, and workshops.
It’s a platform to explore new ideas in design, business, and innovation while connecting with the creative community across Munich.
mcbw.de/enADCE Creative Week
19-21 Nov 2025 · Barcelona, Spain
ADCE Creative Week is the new format of the annual festival of Art Directors Club of Europe. Taking place in Barcelona from 19–21 November, it brings together creatives from across Europe for talks, awards, portfolio reviews, and fresh inspiration.
adceurope.org/festival/adce-creative-weekWanna read more from us? Here are some matching articles:
