4 Design Meetups in the First Half of 2013 to Spur Your Creativity

With another year of design behind you, it’s very possible that you’re feeling just a bit burnt out – being constantly creative is a difficult job, after all.

When easier and more common sources of inspiration come up short, touching base with your colleagues is a great way to get new inspiration bursting through your veins! For a healthy dose of design inspiration to give you a kickstart into the new year, check out these four design meetups in the first half of 2013 to spur your creativity:

1. In Control Web Design Conference 2013

In Control Web Design Conference 2013

If you design for the web in particular, you know that you’re up against a very wide array of talented designers, and that means that you need to insert yourself into every possible circumstance that can give you an edge.

Enter the In Control Web Design Conference.

This event brings together a large number of web design professionals as both attendees and speakers, helping everyone to refine their skills in the name of better, faster, more compelling works of web art.

When and Where: The 4th annual In Control conference will be held at the Embassy Suites Downtown in Orlando, Florida from February 17-19, 2013.

2. HOW Design Live 2013

HOW Design Live 2013

Inviting designers in both print and web to “take creativity into your own hands,” the HOW Design Live conference is a design meetup that has inspiration as its sole goal, bringing together thousands of designers in order to encourage the sharing of ideas, methods, technologies, and more!

While rubbing shoulders with your colleagues is the basic plan, this five-day conference will provide a slew of workshops and learning opportunities as well, making it a great stop, especially if you’re able to attend only a limited number of design events each year.

When and Where: Set to take place over a full five days from June 22-26, 2013, HOW Design Live will take place in San Francisco, California. If you need accommodations to take you through this nearly week-long conference, check out Cheaphotels for the best rates in town!

3. Design Indaba Conference 2013

Design Indaba Conference 2013

Getting set for its 18th edition, South Africa’s Design Indaba Conference will host some of the brightest creative minds from around the world, giving you the opportunity to obtain inspiration and motivation in droves from those who know it best.

While web designers make up the bulk of attendees, the conference focuses on design in niches including advertising, general print, architecture, crafts, fashion, new media, publishing, broadcasting, and even performance arts, making this a truly all-inclusive one-stop-shop for a creative boost, no matter what end of the artsy spectrum your talents fall into!

When and Where: The uniquely beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa, is the home of this year’s Design Indaba Conference, running from February 27 through March 1, 2013.

4. An Event Apart Atlanta 2013

An Event Apart Atlanta 2013

Fancy meeting up with some of the most talented web and marketing designers from around the United States, and the world? An Event Apart is one of the world’s most well-known design conferences, and it will be making a stop in historic Atlanta, Georgia, in early 2013, giving every designer worth their salt the opportunity to improve their craft and find new sources of inspiration early in the new year.

This three-day event will provide highly detailed workshops, speeches and learning sessions, all offset by networking opportunities that are simply unbeatable, giving you the opportunity to leave with renewed vigor for your work, along with a long list of new contacts that will include potential new clients and business partners alike!

When and Where: An Event Apart will hit Atlanta, Georgia, from February 18-20, 2013, giving you the opportunity to take in some unique southern charm alongside a healthy dose of design inspiration.

Mars Cureg

Web designer by profession, photography hobbyist, T-shirt lover, design blog founder, gamer. Socially and physically awkward, lack of social skills, struggles to communicate with anyone who doesn't have a keyboard. Willing to walk to get to the promised land. Photo and video freelancer, SEO.