Events and conferences are a great way to broaden your horizons. You never know who you are going to meet to gain some amazing advice or a new perspective on the subject you love.
There are always some fantastic resources up for grabs, whether it’s a free goody bag with all kinds of great information in or the chance to talk to industry legends. The most important part of these events is to seize the opportunity to make contact and introduce yourself to as many people as you can to expand your network, if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Here are five of the best events that can give you some stellar insight into all things web design this year.
Also read:
- Web design training: The top 10 online tools
- Discover the top 20 networking tips for designers
01. The Theory of (R)Evolution
Run by Shropgeek, The Theory Of (R)Evolution conference is inspired by new thinking in the industry and is fittingly set in Shropshire, the home town of the father of evolutionary thought, Charles Darwin.
By taking a look at the history of the web, (R)Evolution brings together some of the leading thinkers in the industry to suggest where it is heading. It's a great chance to meet people who are truly passionate about the web as well as hearing from some supremely talented web designers including Jake Smith, Neil Kinnish, and Mike Kus.
- The Theory Of Revolution will be in Shropshire on 28 September.
02. Build 2012
This four-day conference is one of the most varied web design conferences around. Along with the talks and workshops, there is an evening of film, live music, a beer festival, a pub quiz, markets and exhibitions to give the event a real festival atmosphere which makes networking and contact building easy.
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Rob Giampetro, Tiffani Jones Brown, Ethan Marcotte, Robin Sloan, Jeff Veen, Mandy Brown and Kirby Ferguson are amongst the speakers who will be sharing their experiences and speculating about the future of the design industry.
- Build will be held in Belfast on 12 November.
03. WebDevConf
WebDevConf has been going since 2007 and aims to bring together a mix of professionals and aspiring web creatives to create an event that can inspire a new generation of creativity. With students in mind, the conference is a must for those on the brink of going pro with some priceless advice and insight up for grabs.
Speakers at the event are given extra time to answer questions at the end of their talks and this year the lineup features top talent from huge companies including Microsoft and Mozilla. A wide range of topics will be covered by the likes of Shane Tomlinson, Andrew Spooner, Robbie Manson, Keir Moffatt, Jack Franklin, Syd Lawrence and more.
- WebDevConf will be held in Bristol on 19 October.
04. New Adventures In Web Design
The next New Adventures conference has a line-up that includes Jason Santa Maria, Dan Cederholm, Jessica Hische, Jon Tan, Stephanie Troeth, Tiago Pedras, Tyler Mincey, Seb Lee-Delisle, Andy Clarke, Sarah Parmenter and Steph Hay. With workshops and talks, the conference caters for people at all levels of the industry.
New Adventures creates a real party atmosphere with all kinds of things happening, including a five-a-side football pitch to encourage a healthy body as well as mind. For more details, see this interview with organiser Simon Collison.
- New Adventures In Web Design will be held in Nottingham on 23 January 2013.
05. Industry
Industry invites guests to listen to the stories and insights of some of the most talented people involved in the web. With speakers hailing from huge international organisations including Twitter, the event is sure to provide inspiration for everyone in attendance.
With over 250 web professionals in the same room, the opportunity to network is unavoidable and there is also a chance to attend a workshop with author and developer John Allsopp which will cover the latest advances in and examples of HTML5 and related W3C technologies.
- Industry will be held in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on 24 April 2013.
Words: Jonathan Brealey; Image: Mike Chipperfield
Jonathan Brealey is the director of UK web hosting company Heart Internet.
Which web design events are you excited about? Let us know in the Comments!
