Six Top Creativity Conferences to Check Out in 2020

We all know that creativity thrives on inspiration. You’ll find plenty of it at these six conferences, which all promise to help you discover what it takes to find, feed and ignite that all-important creative spark. From design, to leadership, to entrepreneurial insight, you’ll find a little bit of each—and a whole lot more—at all of these exciting events.

1. CREA Conference (May 6-10) Tuscany, Italy

2020 marks the 18^th rendition of Europe’s premier conference on creativity, creative problem solving and innovation. Featuring a unique blend of learning, shared experiences and multicultural encounters, this year’s conference will emphasize harnessing the power of imagination to explore infinite possibilities, develop ultimate innovations,  and find new ways to manage individual change and organizational transformation. Did I mention the conference takes place in a campus nestled in a WWF-affiliated oasis in Tuscany?

2. Summit at Sea (May 28-31) Port Everglades, FL

Embark on a three-day cruise for discovery with a diverse program designed to inspire creativity and connections—all on a luxury Celebrity Cruises ship. This transformative weekend features 70+ workshops and experiences centered on six event pillars—talks, performances, wellness, art, culinary and impact.

3. Creative Problem Solving Institute Conference (June 16-20) Buffalo, NY

The CPSI conference has been inspiring minds and elevating ideas for over 60 years—making it the longest-running creativity conference in the world. Attendees can expect to stretch their creative limits in hands-on workshops while gleaning inspiration from renowned and respected speakers.

If you head to CPSI 2020, be sure to check out the Spotlight presentations being given by Seed’s Cherri Prince and Corey Beilstein.

4. Creativity Conference at SOU (July 8-12) Ashland, OR

Head to beautiful Southern Oregon University for a creativity conference aimed at those who study the science of creativity, seek to leverage research on creative thinking or simply consider themselves to be creative. New this year, the conference will incorporate an “incubation day” which will give attendees the opportunity to think about creativity, discuss presentations and new research, and immerse in the beauty of Rogue Valley with some biking, hiking, wine tasting or theater at the world-renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

5. Mindcamp Canada (August 19-23) Orillia, Ontario

Do you ever miss summer camp? Well, here’s your chance to indulge in a little nostalgia (complete with boating, hiking and campfires!)—while taking seminars and classes that teach creativity, innovation and leadership skills. A self-titled “micro-university for personal, professional and organizational creativity,” you’ll learn from some of the best creativity leaders in the world.

6. Cre8Con – The Portland Creative Conference (September 25) Portland, OR

The Portland Creative Conference—known as Cre8Con—will take you deep inside the creative process, celebrating the ideas, approaches and unique perspectives of today’s top creative minds. Learn from leaders in a variety of industries, and explore the art and science of creativity from a fresh, inspiring perspective.

So, which of these conferences has what it takes to light your creative fire? Will you be attending any of them? Are there any others you think we should add to the list? We’d love to hear from you—connect with us on LinkedIn.

Innovation conferences more your thing? Check out our list of 10 top innovation conferences you can attend in 2020.

Matt Donahue is an Associate Creative Director at Seed Strategy with a keen interest in product innovation and marketing theory. Matt is a graduate of Seton Hill University’s “Popular Fiction” master’s program and writes whenever he can.

Edited by Adam Siegel. In addition to being the Editor of The Accelerator, Adam is VP, Creative at Seed Strategy where he draws upon his diverse experience in advertising, research and innovation to craft breakthrough creative and winning concept copy.

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