The *Actual* Best Creative Conferences

Conferences are a great way for creatives—whether freelancers, working for an agency, or in a client-side marketing department—to be among their contemporaries. They’re a great way to improve creative craft by learning from leading professionals and pick up little tricks of the trade from people in similar roles as you. And for those of us who are particularly lucky, it’s an opportunity to go to a place like Charleston on the company dime.

But the best part of any conference? Fun. Know who likes boring conferences? Boring people. That’s why this catered list only includes the conferences where you can have the most fun. Which creative conferences offer the best vibes? Which gatherings offer the best in terms of socialization, food, beverages, and entertainment?

(Don't worry, you'll learn something, too.)

Creative South

Upcoming Dates: 2026 Dates TBD

Where: Columbus, Georgia

We’re sorry to say that you just missed this one. The 2025 conference was in April, but don’t fear because it happens in Columbus, Georgia every year. In terms of content, this conference is mostly catered to graphic designers and visual artists. If that doesn’t sound like you, then you might just want to fake it because this conference is a great time. They incorporate actual subject matter in fun and interesting ways, like their “Drink & Draw” immediately following check-in. This past conference, they also had a “Bridge Party,” as in: a party on a bridge. Who knew you could rent out a bridge for a party?

Crop Creative Conference

Upcoming Dates: 2026 Dates TBD

Where: Austin, Texas

Another conference for graphic designers (they get to have all the fun), Crop, is by all appearances a relatively small conference, with their sessions taking place in more of a classroom environment than a lecture hall. It seems like a great place to actually get to know your peers and keep in touch with them. The two-day conference ends each day with a party, so a 100 percent success rate, and we haven’t found another conference that concluded with a band performing in front of their van the way that Crop 2024 did.

Brand New Conference

Upcoming Dates: October 23–24, 2025

Where: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is admittedly the most buttoned-up conference on this list. Being more generally about branding, there’s something creatives of all fields can take away from the Brand New Conference. The reason it’s included on the list, however, is because their after party is at a combination bowling alley and bar that also has board games. We approve. That’s reason enough.

Creative Works Conference

Upcoming Dates: October 2–4, 2025

Where: Brooklyn, New York

In researching a lot of these conferences, some immediately give you a pretentious aura. You look at some featured speakers, and it’s someone you’ve never seen before, but you can tell that they think they’re Steve Jobs. This conference, put on by the Creative Workers Union, gives off the exact opposite vibe. Everything about it seems relaxed—dare we say chill even? One of the main events is a pop-up market where artists can sell their work, none of who are wearing suits. This gives the whole conference an air of collaboration that a lot of these more corporate conferences just can’t replicate. The conference moves from city-to-city each year, with it being in Brooklyn in 2025, but it was in a smaller city, Memphis, as recently as 2023.

Want to hear about our favorite experiences at conferences? It’s worth noting we didn’t just party the entire time, and did actually bring back some skills we can put to work. Let’s chat about that part, since it's probably most useful to you. And maybe the partying as well.