How can I participate in design and technology conferences in Chicago?

You can attend as a guest, submit a talk through a call for speakers, volunteer with a local design organization, or sponsor an event. Attending once is the easiest start, and submitting a speaking proposal is the highest leverage way to build a reputation in the local scene.

What design and technology conferences are held in Chicago?

Chicago hosts a range of events including Nivan, AIGA Chicago programming, TECHSPO Chicago, DrupalCon Chicago, The Data Science Conference, the Chicago stop of the Oracle AI World Tour, and Adobe's Create Now series. They span design, UX, web development, data, and AI.

How do I become a speaker at a Chicago design conference?

Watch for each event's call for speakers, which usually opens months before the conference, and submit a short proposal with a clear topic and takeaway. First time speakers are welcome at most local events.

Are there AI focused conferences in Chicago?

Yes. The Data Science Conference and the Oracle AI World Tour center on data and applied AI, and Nivan covers AI alongside UX and design as part of its Tech, AI, UX, and Design focus.

How do I connect with the Chicago design community year round?

Join AIGA Chicago and your local UX and interaction design groups, attend their regular events, and follow conferences like Nivan to stay close to the wider community between larger gatherings.

AI, UX & Design Communities to Join in 2026

AI & Design Communities to Join

Conferences give you two days of concentrated inspiration. Communities give you the other 363. The right community is where you test ideas before they're polished, find collaborators outside your company walls, and hear about opportunities long before they're posted anywhere.

We curated this list for people working at the intersection of Tech + AI + UX + Design, from global professional associations to the smaller rooms where the sharpest conversations happen.

Join these amazing community

Community	What It Is	Cost	Link
Nivan Circle	Our free community for people building the future of Tech + AI + UX + Design. Cross-industry conversations, event-first access, and ideas from the Nivan stage delivered between conferences.	Free	Join
UX Synergies	A community for UX practitioners and leaders built around candid conversations, shared learning, and connecting researchers and designers across companies and career stages.	Free	Join
IxDA	The Interaction Design Association, a global network with local chapters in more than 100 cities. Local events, talks, and one of the easiest ways to meet designers in your own city.	Free	Join
UXPA International	The User Experience Professionals Association, a long-running global body with local chapters, an annual international conference, and a publication track for practitioners.	Paid membership	Join
AIGA	The professional association for design, with active local chapters running talks, workshops, portfolio reviews, and networking events throughout the year.	Paid membership	Join
EPIC	The Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Community, a global network of applied researchers who believe deep human understanding drives better products, strategy, and AI.	Paid membership	Join
Designer Hangout	An invite-based Slack community of UX practitioners, known for candid conversations about craft, careers, and the realities of design work inside companies.	Free, invite	Join
ADPList	A global mentorship platform where designers, researchers, and product people book free sessions with mentors worldwide, whether you want to find a mentor or become one.	Free	Join
Interaction Design Foundation	A large design education community pairing structured courses with local groups and discussion, a strong fit if you learn best alongside a curriculum.	Paid membership	Join
Women Talk Design	A community elevating women and gender-expansive speakers in design and tech, with talks, speaker training, and a directory event organizers actually use.	Free + paid programs	Join
AI Tinkerers	City-based meetups for people hands-on with AI, builders demoing real projects rather than slideware. A good window into what practitioners are actually making.	Free	Join
MLOps Community	A global community focused on running AI and machine learning in production, useful for designers and researchers who want to understand how AI products really get built and shipped.	Free	Join

That stage is waiting for a story. Maybe yours.

Every Nivan talk lives somewhere on the timeline: lessons from the past, judgment calls happening right now, or the future we should be designing toward. If your work sits at the intersection of Tech, AI, UX, and Design, there is a place in our program with your name on it. Apply Now!

Apply to be Nivan Speaker