Top Creativity Conferences of 2023

Looking for a spark to ignite your creativity? These inspiring creativity conferences are sure to do the trick. 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 (listed in chronological order).

Florida Creativity Conference (March 10-12) Sarasota, FL
The 20^th Annual Florida Creativity Conference will be held at Ringling College of Art and Design. This event promises dynamic hands-on workshops focused on different aspects of creativity, speakers sharing powerful creative perspectives, a safe space for exploring individual and collaborative creativity, a learning experience that sparks personal and professional growth, and opportunities to make powerful connections with innovative thinkers, creators, and world-class presenters. Seed’s Cherri Prince is looking forward to attending, so be sure to say hello if you see her there.

CREA Conference (April 16-23) Sestri Levante, Italy
CREA is Europe’s premier conference on creativity, creative problem solving and innovation. Led by international experts, participants will learn and develop the mindset and skillset to practice a variety of the latest creativity methods. This year’s conference will once again offer a variety of interactive workshops that will expose attendees to the many diverse perspectives of research and practice in the field of creativity. Attendees can choose among 5 creativity programs (Applied Creativity, Creative Thinking Tools for the 21^stCentury, Leading with A Creative Mindset, Creating the 21^st Century Organization or Leadership and Creative Posture), plus any workshop or lab, as well as wellness activities and evening events. Did I mention the conference takes place in a campus nestled in a WWF-affiliated oasis in Tuscany?

Creativity Conference at SOU (May 18-22) 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. Attendees will have 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.

Summit at Sea (May 18-21) Port of Miami, FL
This conference leverages the uniquely harmonic and regenerative environment of the open sea to spark adventure, expand minds, forge deep connections and foster play. 1,900 attendees will embark on a three-day cruise for discovery on a luxury Virgin Voyages cruise ship, where they will enjoy a transformative weekend featuring workshops and experiences centered on six event pillars—talks, performances, wellness, art, culinary and impact.

Creativity & Cognition (June 19-21) Virtual
Since 1993, this conference has brought together artists, scientists, designers, educators and researchers to more deeply understand how people engage individually and socially in creative processes and how computation and other technology can affect creative outcomes. C&C is currently inviting submissions and contributions in typical research formats like papers, posters, demos, workshops and tutorials, as well as more sensory, experiential forms like pictorials and artwork.

Creative Problem Solving Institute Conference (June 25-29) Buffalo, New York
Creativity breeds innovation and there is no better way to sharpen your creativity than by attending CPSI. The CPSI conference, which will once again be sponsored by Seed Strategy, 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 (including Seed’s Cherri Prince).

The Creativity Conference (August 1-3) Reykjavic, Iceland
This conference invites people from around the world to embark on a three-day journey full of inspiring participatory experiences that explore the essence of creativity in all its forms. The event will center around 8 creative themes for talks, workshops and experiences (Inspiration; Film, TV & Games; Music; Live Performance; Literature; Photography; Fine Art; and Digital Art) where speakers will focus on sharing what it is that inspires them so profoundly that they felt compelled to create something that never existed before—and share insights and practical, actionable advice on how they did it. Can’t swing a trip to Iceland? No worries, you can register for free access to all livestreams during the conference.

Mindcamp Canada (August 14-18) Port Elgin, 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 while experiencing a hybrid of scheduled programs and Open Space sessions where attendees can decide what content they want to dive into.

Circles Conference (September 6-8) Fort Worth, TX
Circles Conference features inspirational stories and workshops designed to help attendees shed layers of fears and doubt as they reveal their inner creativity. This event brings designers, techies and creative professionals together for three days of creation, collaboration and world-class networking. Participants will learn from the industry’s top leaders and walk away with new ideas, practical advice and a diverse, tight-knit community of artistically-inclined individuals to support them along the way.

Do you know of any other creativity conferences we should consider adding to the list? Let us know!

And be sure to check out our article on the top innovation conferences of 2023.

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

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