EVENT

SCHEDULE

TUES APR 23

6pm

OPENING NIGHT PARTY & ALL-ACCESS CHECK-IN

OPENING NIGHT KICK-OFF PARTY

[BRAND NEW EVENT] Join us for the inaugural IDW workshop night! Attend multiple hands-on workshops in one evening; where you can learn new skills, take home tangible creations, and get inspired in a collaborative environment.

Location:

6215 N College Ave

NOTE: This is an all-access pass exclusive event

Help us celebrate the return of Indy Design Week in style and get checked in for the week! Join us on the rooftop of Eight Eleven Group for an unforgettable night of drinks, food, games, and live music from local band Club Sugar. We'll also have raffle door prizes from local partners like Newfields, The Eiteljorg Museum, The Vogue, The Hi-Fi, Indy Fuel, and more!

WED APR 24

Morning

INDUSTRY COFFEE MEET-UPS & STUDIO TOURS

FIND YOUR INDUSTRY COFFEE MEET-UP

Advertising | 9-10am | Well Done Marketing330 N College Ave

Architecture | 9:30-10:30am | DELV Design1411 Roosevelt Ave. Suite 302

Branding Meet-Up | 9-10am | Leah Trib Productions231 S College Ave #150

Interior Design | 9:30-10:30am | HER Home Design | 4400 W. 96th Street

Fashion Design Meet-Up | 10-11am | Macy's Castleton6020 E 82nd St Ste 400

Product Design Meet-Up | 8-9:30am | High Alpha830 Massachusetts Ave Suite 1500 Floor 4

Sustainable Design | 9-10am | Schott Design | 888 Keystone Crossing, Suite 100

Web Design | 8:30-9:30am | draft | 1525 Prospect St

Coffee will be provided at all locations by our partners at Tinker Coffee.

Hosted by
Location:

Various locations around Indianapolis

Join us for industry-focused coffee meet-ups all over the city! Connect with fellow professionals, share insights, and fuel your creativity over a cup of coffee in a relaxed and inspired atmosphere. From advertising and interior design to architecture and fashion design... there's a coffee meet-up for everyone!

Find Your Industry Coffee Meet-Up →

11am

DIVERGENCE + INVENTION: THE MAKING AND RE-MAKING OF CENTURY-OLD INDIANAPOLIS LANDMARK

Divergence + Invention: The Making and Re-making of Century-old Indianapolis Landmark

The Stutz has been an iconic piece of Indianapolis’s story since 1912, when it began producing the famous Stutz Bearcat IndyCar. Yet with each decade, as it faced the changing needs of both industry and community it struggled to remain relevant.  The DELV design team, along with other creatives, was engaged to re-imagine the 7-building, 440,000 square feet complex, and launch it into a vibrant new chapter: a world class destination for food, retail, fitness, work, and events.   

Learning Objectives: 

  • How to use design thinking methodology to reimagine places, spaces, and experiences 
  • How design shifted a building’s posture from introversion to extroversion 
  • How we preserved the legacy of landmark while offering the community a new vibrant use 

About the Speakers:

Cara Weber AIA, LEED AP | Partner & Co-founder of DELV  

Cara Weber is a co-founder of the award-winning architecture and experiential design studio, DELV. With empathic design as her backbone, Cara’s skillfully led the design for multi-million dollar hospitals, scaling global workplaces, and the first Passive House certified in Indiana. She’s known for her adept ability to connect and align designers and stakeholders; to ask tough questions and go deeper into motivation behind design decisions. Internally, Cara leads our studio’s service design, ensuring cohesive and high quality design outputs. 

 
Jeremy Welu AIA, LEED AP | Partner & Co-founder of DELV  

From workplaces to universities, distilleries to adaptive re-use projects, Jeremy has had the opportunity to shape the delivery and performance of numerous environments for 20+ years. In his pursuit for meaningful metrics and data, he’s developed an arsenal of tools that help clients understand how numbers inform smart designs with his signature manner that both engages and builds consensus. The American Institute of Architects has invited Jeremy multiple times to nationally share his expertise on the unique intersection of technology and design, and in 2019 they awarded him the honor of Indiana Young Architect of the Year.  

As a partner at DELV, he brings innovation leadership to the team on numerous fronts—in ideation, technology application, and strategically connecting like-minded businesses to our studio team.

Hosted by

Cara Weber, AIA, LEED AP (Partner & Co-founder of DELV) & Jeremy Welu,AIA, LEED AP (Partner & Co-founder of DELV)

Location:

Virtual

The Stutz has been an iconic piece of Indianapolis’s story since 1912, when it began producing the famous Stutz Bearcat IndyCar. Yet with each decade, as it faced the changing needs of both industry and community it struggled to remain relevant.  Our design team, along with other creatives, were engaged to re-imagine the 7-building, 440,000 square feet complex, and launch it into a vibrant new chapter: a world class destination for food, retail, fitness, work, and events.   

1pm

REWRITING THE SCRIPT: HOW CREATIVE TEAMS ARE REDEFINING TV ADVERTISING THROUGH CONNECTED TV

Rewriting the Script: How Creative Teams are Redefining TV Advertising through Connected TV

Gone are the days of mass marketing your message and crossing your fingers hoping it hits the right audience. CTV now enables marketers to segment & directly target their audience; wherever & whenever they stream their favorite shows. In this talk, Alex Smith (Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, TriAD CTV) & Tori Witter (Creative Director, TriAD CTV) will dive into the world of CTV/OTT to discuss how this new technology is revolutionizing the way marketers & creative teams approach TV advertising; particularly in creative messaging & production.

Key Takeaways:

  • CTV Overview: What is it? How does it work?
  • Your Targeting Options: Who can you reach? How does audience segmentation work?
  • Creative Impact: How does this new technology affect the way creative teams understand and produce TV advertising?
  • Applicable Examples: How are the big brands—and smaller businesses—utilizing CTV?

About the Speakers:

Alex Smith Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, TriAD CTV

Alex is an accomplished, inspiring, and creative digital marketing solutions leader with expertise in Connected TV advertising campaigns and business sectors. At TriAD CTV, Alex has leveraged his years of experience in sales systems development and effective Go-To-Market strategy in IoT/SaaS-based technologies and services to create 1-to-1 ad-targeting solutions tailored for TV advertising in a variety of B2B industries.

Tori Witter Creative Director, TriAD CTV

Tori is a dynamic creative director with a passion for innovative design and strategic marketing with over a decade of practical design experience. Tori was on the product development team for TriAD, leading the brand development and assisting with the January 2021 platform launch & Go-To-Market strategy. Currently as the Creative Director, Tori focuses on providing clients with data-driven creative and marketing strategies. She and her team believe in an audience-first approach that allows the creative to be individualized, segmented, and most importantly... results-oriented.

Hosted by

Alex Smith (Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, TriAD CTV) & Tori Witter (Creative Director, TriAD CTV)

Location:

Virtual

Gone are the days of mass marketing your message and crossing your fingers hoping it hits the right audience. CTV now enables marketers to segment & directly target their audience; wherever & whenever they stream their favorite shows. In this talk, Alex Smith (Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, TriAD CTV) & Tori Witter (Creative Director, TriAD CTV) will dive into the world of CTV/OTT to discuss how this new technology is revolutionizing the way marketers & creative teams approach TV advertising; particularly in creative messaging & production.

5:30pm

CREATIVE DETOURS: WORKSHOP NIGHT

CREATIVE DETOURS: WORKSHOP NIGHT

Location: Cinderwood Event Center601 S Meridian St Suite 400

Workshops:

Vendors:

What to Expect: Doors open at 5:30pm, workshops begin at 6pm and run until 9pm. Jockamo Pizza will be provided & the bar will be open! Workshop sign-ups will open for ticketholders one month prior and close one week before. All ticketholders are welcome to come, but workshops will only be available for those who sign-up ahead of time.

Location:

601 S Meridian St Suite 400

[BRAND NEW EVENT] Join us for the inaugural IDW workshop night! Attend multiple hands-on workshops in one evening; where you can learn new skills, take home tangible creations, and get inspired in a collaborative environment.

NOTE: limited workshop hosting spots remain

*Click the green arrow for more details

Purchase A Workshop ONLY Ticket →

THURS APR 25

8am

THE DESIGN OF YOGA WORKSHOP

Hosted by

Poppe Tsunami @ Fountain Square Yoga

Location:

1651 English Ave

The first half hour will be a lead asana flow for all levels. The second half hour will be a lecture on the elements and design of a yoga class. The last hour will be a guided composition to craft a flow that works for your body to practice on your own. The last half of the workshop is a time for you to receive specific feedback on poses and support with any modifications needed.

Please Note: There will be a small fee in order to compensate the yoga teacher for their time & services.

Purchase a Yoga Design Workshop Ticket →

12:15pm

HOOSIER TYPE COMPANY: ANALOG LETTERPRESS DESIGN IN A DIGITAL WORLD

Hoosier Type Company: Analog Letterpess in a Digital World

Join us for a captivating 30-minute presentation by Daniel Swartz, Hoosier Type Co., showcasing his unique letterpress design and printing process. Daniel will provide context by showcasing portfolio pieces, then delve into his creative process, which seamlessly integrates both digital and analog tools. The presentation will conclude with a Q&A session and the sharing of valuable resources for those interested in learning more about letterpress. Join Daniel for this insightful talk, offering a glimpse into the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.

About the Speaker:

After 14 years in a creative field that he loved, Daniel lost his career in 2020 amidst industry challenges. Facing limited options, his wife's teaching job offer and the availability of his grandparents' farmland led to a fresh start in rural Indiana. Nurturing an interest in typography and letterpress design, Daniel began hand-printing prints in his basement, eventually growing into a successful home-based design studio. Today, Daniel offers custom letterpress prints and gives design talks across the country, grateful for the unexpected turn his life has taken.

Daniel has given talks Susquehanna University, University of Southern Alabama, Salisbury University, and Columbus Society of Communication Arts, and am scheduling to present the same to AIGA Maine near the end of March as well as Ringling College of Art & Design.

Hosted by

Daniel Swartz, Letterpress Designer/Printer & Founder of Hoosier Type Company

Location:

Virtual

Join us for a captivating 30-minute presentation by Daniel Swartz, Hoosier Type Co., showcasing his unique letterpress design and printing process. Daniel will provide context by showcasing portfolio pieces, then delve into his creative process, which seamlessly integrates both digital and analog tools. The presentation will conclude with a Q&A session and the sharing of valuable resources for those interested in learning more about letterpress. Join Daniel for this insightful talk, offering a glimpse into the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.

1:45pm

INCREASING ENGAGEMENT THROUGH UNIQUE WEB DESIGN

Increasing Engagement through Unique Web Design

Strong, conversion-focused websites are intuitive for users and meet their needs quickly. While sticking to known patterns and functionality can help accomplish this, we’ve found that some unexpected design and functionality choices have increased engagement. Experimenting with new mobile navigation styles, first-party cookie personalizations, and “dark mode” inspired design, we’re diverging from norms to help brands leverage their website to achieve their business goals.

About the Speaker:

Ashley VanArsdale Parmenter | Senior Art Director, Williams Randall Advertising

Ashley VanArsdale Parmenter is a Senior Art Director at Williams Randall Advertising, where she enhances clients’ online and offline presences through multifaceted creative campaigns—either building on existing brands or helping to forge new ones. She specializes in website design, digital advertising, landing pages, and emails. Ashley thrives in the intersection of business and creativity.

Hosted by

Ashley VanArsdale Parmenter (Senior Art Director, Williams Randall Advertising)

Location:

Virtual

Strong, conversion-focused websites are intuitive for users and meet their needs quickly. While sticking to known patterns and functionality can help accomplish this, we’ve found that some unexpected design and functionality choices have increased engagement. Experimenting with new mobile navigation styles, first-party cookie personalizations, and “dark mode” inspired design, we’re diverging from norms to help brands leverage their website to achieve their business goals.

6pm

PRELIMINARY PATHS: FIRST DRAFT SHOWCASE

PRELIMINARY PATHS: FIRST DRAFT SHOWCASE

Doors open at 5:30pm | Presentations start at 6pm

Presenters

Wedding Design Looks | Lei Bretón | Fashion Designer & Founder of House of Bretón

Lei formed The House of Bretón (formerly Curvy Custom Bride) in 2014 as a home for the queer and plus-size communities in the wedding industry. As an inclusive fashion designer and a queer-owned company, they provide inclusively crafted custom wedding dresses, suits, & separates for Trans, Non-Binary, Queer & Allied Folx, across the US. In this presentation, Lei will showcase two wedding looks designed for a couple with very different tastes, but looking for a connecting thread. The final look (recently featured in the New York Times) included a cape (one of Lei's favorites), as well as a chiffon vest on the bottom half. Lei will share initial sketches of the designs while walking us through the design process from conception to execution, and giving us the unique perspective of what it's like to design for milestone events like weddings.

Indy Eleven Logo Development | Patrick Cummings | Graphic Designer, PCGD & Associate Creative Principal, Section 127

Texan born, but proudly raised in the Midwest—Pat is an Indianapolis-based Graphic Designer/Creative Director. He loves sports, design of all kinds, great television, comedy, cooking, and is always looking for new challenges. In 2013, Pat was approached by Indianapolis Pro Soccer to develop the crest and branding for their new NASL soccer team. Eventually that team would be known as Indy Eleven. Pat will be walking us through the unique logo design process of designing a logo for an American professional soccer team.

Corporate Headquarters Renovation | Ashley Reddington | Senior Account Exeucitve + DesignerGraphic Designer, OfficeWorks

Ashley has a background in Interior Architecture and a passion for helping clients’ design their dream office space. She approaches each project with a human-centered approach focusing on her clients’ needs. Ashley will be showcasing the internal process of a 250,000+ sq. ft. corporate headquarters renovation. From first draft concepts to full completion of the building you will hear insights from the design and sales team who completed the full interior renovation within budget and in a short amount of time. This specific portion of the project totaled more than $3M, which included furniture and interior wall systems. Ashley Reddington will be giving much more insight into this project and the unique perspective of an Account Executive / Designer in the Indy design community.

Hosted by
Location:

5255 N Winthrop Ave #110

[BRAND NEW EVENT] This showcase is an opportunity to present and view original presentations as they were pitched to clients. At First Draft, speakers will share their #firstdraft designs by showing the original PDF/Keynote/PPT file that they presented to a client the very first time they saw a range of design explorations (or a single design exploration) and discuss the design process behind them.

Submit Your #FirstDraft Presentation →

FRI APR 26

10:15am

THE POWER OF ANIMATION AND ILLUSTRATION IN STORYTELLING

The Power of Animation and Illustration in Storytelling

Join Julia Roberts and Rachel Knierman from Williams Randall Advertising as they discuss the creative process of using original animation and illustration to fill in gaps. They will walk through case studies where the Williams Randalls team overcame challenges such as limited original photography and tight timelines by embracing original animation and illustration. Learn how this unexpected shift in creative approach not only filled gaps but also revolutionized the way clients perceive their brands. They will also discuss the strategic reasons behind choosing animation, the process of selling this to clients, and the enchanting process of bringing storyboards to life.

About the Speakers:

Julie Roberts | Account Executive, Williams Randall Advertising

Julia Roberts is an Account Executive at Williams Randall Advertising. She works directly with clients to execute tactical plans, making sure projects are completed on time and on budget. She loves the intersection of creativity and strategy where marketing resides.

Rachel Knierman | Designer, Williams Randall Advertising

Rachel Knierman is a designer at Williams Randall Advertising. She loves using her creativity to create messages that can cut through the clutter. She’s a go-getter with eclectic skills—animation, graphic design and videography among them—that make her perfectly suited to design both digital and traditional work for their clients.

Hosted by

Julie Roberts (Account Executive) & Rachel Knierman (Designer) from Williams Randall Advertising

Location:

Virtual

Join Julia Roberts from Williams Randall Advertising as she discusses the creative process of using original animation and illustration to fill in gaps. Julia will walk through case studies where the Williams Randalls team overcame challenges such as limited original photography and tight timelines by embracing original animation and illustration. Learn how this unexpected shift in creative approach not only filled gaps but also revolutionized the way clients perceive their brands. Julia will also discuss the strategic reasons behind choosing animation, the process of selling this to clients, and the enchanting process of bringing storyboards to life.

11am

THINKING LIKE A MAGICIAN

Thinking Like a Magician

In this presentation, Dr. Tong Li will explore the fascinating parallels between magic performance and UX/UI design. Just as magicians craft illusions to captivate their audience, interaction designers create products that offer intuitive and enjoyable user experiences. Discover how principles like misdirection and showmanship from magic can enhance human-computer interaction. Join Tong as he shares his experience using magic as a teaching tool for user-centered design, and how adopting a "magician's perspective" can transform the design process and elevate user experiences.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Tong Li | Assistant Professor in School of Journalism and Strategic Communication, Ball State University

Dr. Tong Li, assistant professor in the Center for Emerging Media Design and Development in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication, earned a Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology from The University of Georgia in 2020. After earning his doctorate, Dr. Li completed a postdoc at the Science of Learning and Educational Technology Lab at Arizona State University. Dr. Li’s research focuses on creativity and design thinking. For example, his research has investigated the influence of schema-disruptive stimulus on designers’ flexible thinking and design process in a studio-based learning environment. Dr. Li is also interested in understanding factors that influence designers’ creativity to advance design learning activities or pedagogies that facilitate the creative design process.

Hosted by

Dr. Tong Li | Assistant Professor in School of Journalism and Strategic Communication, Ball State University

Location:

Virtual

In this presentation, Dr. Tong Li will explore the fascinating parallels between magic performance and UX/UI design. Just as magicians craft illusions to captivate their audience, interaction designers create products that offer intuitive and enjoyable user experiences. Discover how principles like misdirection and showmanship from magic can enhance human-computer interaction. Join Tong as he shares his experience using magic as a teaching tool for user-centered design, and how adopting a "magician's perspective" can transform the design process and elevate user experiences.

2pm

NAVIGATING THE DIVIDE: LEVERAGE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UX RESEARCH IN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY

Hosted by

Sarah Nikkhah | Advisor - UX Researcher @ Eli Lilly and Company

Sarah, a recent Ph.D. graduate in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), has successfully transitioned from academia to industry, gaining valuable insights in UX research. She aims to share her experiences and advice with others making a similar transition, emphasizing the importance of leveraging the strengths of both domains to advance the field of UX research.

Location:

Virtual

In this session, Sarah Nikkhah will explore the differences in UX research practices between academia and industry, offering insights into objectives, methodologies, and target audiences. Sarah aims to support those transitioning from academia to industry by sharing personal experiences and practical strategies for applying academic rigor effectively in an industry context, fostering collaborations, and showcasing successful adaptations through real-world examples and case studies.

4pm

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TIFFANY SAUDER

Hosted by
Location:

701 E New York St.

Join us for an inspiring keynote with Tiffany Sauder: CEO of Element Three, host of the Scared Confident podcast, and advocate of living a life of And (not Or).

SAT APR 27

Noon-6pm

IDW DESIGN & ART MARKET

Location:

1060 N Capitol Ave

[BRAND NEW EVENT] Join us for the inaugural Indy Design Week Design & Art Market! This market will be open to the public, but IDW attendees receive free admission and an exclusive discount on vendor booths to sell and showcase their art. If you have questions about vendor booths, email indydwmarketing@gmail.com.

Sign Up to Be a Vendor →

WEEK-LONG EVENTS

APR 24-27

VISIT LOCAL ART INSTITUTIONS

PARTICIPATING ART INSTITUTIONS

NewfieldsVisit Apr 24-27 and show your all-access ticket to receive discounted admission.

Eiteljorg MuseumVisit Apr 24-27 and show your all-access ticket to receive $5 off admission.

Hosted by
Location:

all over Indianapolis

During Indy Design Week, we invite you to explore & support our local art institutions. Below is the participating institutions—keep checking back for new additions:

[DISCOUNTED ADMISSION] Newfields

[$5 OFF ADMISSION] Eiteljorg Museum

Add Your Institution to the List →

All Day

VIRTUAL TALKS

Hosted by
Location:

Wherever You Are!

This year, instead of offering just one day of talks, we are offering webinar-style, virtual talks at various times all week long to make it more accessible and provide more design education than ever. Do you have a story about Diversion? Maybe a time where divergence lead to innovation... or where an unexpected route revealed new design ideas... or where the unanticipated became the foundation for groundbreaking creations? Whatever your story is, we want to hear it! 

Submit Your Virtual Talk →

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