The best design conferences to visit this autumn/winter and see the world

Whether you’re sitting at home or in the studio, it’s often difficult to feel stimulated by everyday life. Constantly surrounded by the same concepts and ideas, whilst we don’t need to stress the importance of visiting conferences and workshops, our list below should help you to gain the latest industry insights to enthuse your upcoming projects.

If you fancy getting away from your desk, the UK has quickly become a front-runner in celebrating contemporary design, with a whole host of events on the horizon. Or, if the budget allows, why not travel further afield and do a little exploring whilst you're at it? Here's our pick of the best design conferences across the world this autumn and winter.

September

Reasons To: Design, Code, Create & Come Together

Reasons To: is an award-winning, three-day international conference with a festival vibe, held annually in Brighton, UK, every September. Hosting renowned international creative and developer speakers, it aims to interest, inform, and inspire fellow designers and coders. Curated to bring content from many disciplines, it gives designers, creatives, film makers, and artists the opportunity to see and hear new perspectives and esteemed content from across the UK. Enjoy a UK seaside break while the weather's still decent.

Brighton, UK | 4–6 September 2017 | reasons.to

Brand New Conference

Go to the "windy city" and explore Chicago, Chicago during Brand New Conference – a two-day event brought to you by popular design blog, Brand New. It focuses on corporate and brand identity and offers eight sessions each day with speakers from around the world.

Chicago, Illinois, US | 14-15 September 2017 | underconsideration.com

London Design Festival

Open to exhibitors and the general public, this festival demonstrates why London is one of the best cities for design. During the nine-day programme, expect hundreds of visionary installations and parties, with rare access to local studios. The London Design Festival also hosts 15 leading guest speakers, offering invaluable experience through various design workshops.

London, England | 16–24 September 2017 | londondesignfestival.com

October

UXDX 2017

UXDX is a conference discussing the latest movements in user and developer experience, to "help teams deliver successful products faster". Providing attention-grabbing content and unrivalled networking opportunities, with a clear focus on customer experience, you will be amongst thousands of Europe’s most forward-thinking product leaders, designers, developers and entrepreneurs. Plus who doesn't love a visit to Dublin? The friendly people, the bustling pubs, the food scene – it's a small capital with a huge reputation that it definitely lives up to.

Dublin, Ireland | 4–7 October 2017 | uxdxconf.com

AIGA Design Conference

Join thousands of other designers in Minneapolis to hear from some of your creative heroes at the design conference hosted annually by AIGA, the professional association for design. This year's theme is all about connections, and how we employ empathy in our work, so it's bound to be inspirational. And you get to see the city where the legendary Prince was born too.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, US | 12-14 October 2017 | aiga.org

World Design Summit

The World Design Summit takes place in Montreal, Canada, which is internationally renowned for its creativity, lifestyle and cultural diversity. And in 2017, this UNESCO City of Design is celebrating its 375th Birthday, the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and the 50th anniversary of Expo ‘67, so there is no better time to visit this highly recommended conference, which covers six design disciplines including graphic design.

Montreal, Canada | 16-25 October 2017 | worlddesignsummit.com

Adobe MAX: The Creativity Conference

One of our absolute favourites, Adobe MAX kicks off in Las Vegas this year, giving you the chance to see the one and only Sin City while hearing from some of the industry's biggest names – Aaron Draplin, Timothy Goodman, Debbie Millman and Annie Griffiths. Not to be missed. And the surprises and parties make it that extra special.

Las Vegas, Nevada, US | 16-20 October 2017 | max.adobe.com

November

MUXL 2017

Combining expert speakers, presentations and workshops, MUXL is a community of experienced creators and innovators working in UX, Product, Mobile, Design & Development. Collaborating to diffuse ideas and knowledge in a supportive and creative environment, the exhibit aims to direct and reignite your passion for design and development. And it happens to be in the heart of London, giving you the chance to enjoy a city break in England's capital.

London, University of London | 10 November 2017 | mobileuxlondon.com

December

An Event Apart

An Event Apart is three days of intense focus on digital design, UX and much more. Plus it happens to be in Denver, Colorado – an American metropolis dating to the Old West era, so plenty of heritage to learn about. You'll also find a thriving creative scene in the Mile High City, and loads to explore on its doorstep – the majestic Rockies, state parks and national forests... it's a beautiful part of the world.

Denver, Colorado, US | 11-13 December 2017 | aneventapart.com