Dear friends,
The Birmingham Design Festival has announced a call for entries for talks, workshops, and other events to be held at the 2026 festival. The festival covers a broad range of subjects across multiple disciplines. Recognising that it can be challenging to ascertain whether your skill set aligns with the programme, the curators have selected four areas that will be covered or explored at the festival: Graphic District, Digital District, Analogue District and Non-district specific. Submit your idea here.
On 27 March, AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist will be showing at theatres. It tells the story of a father-to-be who tries to understand the world that his child will inherit in a time of rapid AI advancement. The film frames AI as 'the most powerful technology humanity has ever created', exploring both existential risks (up to extinction scenarios) and transformative benefits (such as curing diseases and expanding human capabilities).
I really enjoyed another film about AI called Writing Doom. It's a chilling dramatisation of the real-life conversations happening behind closed doors.
In the short film, a writing team is tasked with making artificial superintelligence the 'bad guy' for the next season of their TV show. With the help of a new recruit (a Machine Learning PhD student), they must figure out how and why an ASI might function as an antagonist, and what threat it might pose to humanity.
On a other note, Dutch creative festival organizer Playgrounds announced that the creators of the hit sensation KPop Demon Hunters from Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix Josh Beveridge (animation director) and Wendell Dalit (art director) will be speaking at The Art Department in Eindhoven on 15-17 April, 2026.
Happy Neon Monday,
Thomas
Sponsored
February Conference Calendar
24 - 25 Feb · Online
Axe-con 2026
Axe-Con is the online conference where the global digital accessibility community comes together. Join developers, designers, business users and accessibility professionals of all experience levels as they come together to promote digital accessibility programmes worldwide. At Axe-Con, you will learn about the latest tech trends, global compliance and much more, all with a focus on building, testing and delivering accessible digital experiences.
24 - 24 Feb · London 🇬🇧
ProductCon
At ProductCon, industry experts will break down what’s actually happening in product management. There will be three free in-person events, plus an AI-focused online edition in August. Because staying sharp shouldn’t cost you.
26 - 27 Feb · Online
AI Coding Summit
Taking place on 26–27 February, the online AI Coding Summit will present cutting-edge talks and hands-on workshops on AI-powered software development. Explore game-changing tools and stay ahead in the fast-evolving world of AI-driven development, all while networking with industry leaders.
26 - 27 Feb · Manchester 🇬🇧
Motion North
Motion North is a welcoming community of motion designers, animators, filmmakers, VFX artists, illustrators and other creative professionals, as well as enthusiasts. They meet in Manchester to discuss ideas, collaborate and find inspiration. For their second annual festival, they will be taking over Freight Island in Manchester. Expect talks, workshops, discussions, play, exploration, food and drink, and much more besides.
Top 5 Conferences This March
THU Digital Health
4 - 6 March, Online | €150 / €40 for students
What happens when creativity meets medicine? THU Digital Health explores how creative disciplines can drive innovation in health research and treatment. The three-day event features talks and discussions on how digital health therapies deliver personalised care through software-driven interventions to prevent and manage medical conditions.Graphika Manila 2026
7 - 8 March, Manila, Philippines | ₱3480 / ₱2980 for studentsNow in its 21st year, Graphika Manila is Asia's most highly anticipated creative conference! This two-day event will take place on 7–8 March 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre in the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay. It will feature 12 talks from international and Philipino creatives. Tickets include admission for both days, a conference kit containing a special Graphika art book, networking opportunities and an e-certificate of attendance. Speakers include Wade Jeffree & Leta Sobierajski, Creative Director Haruko Hayakawa, Freddie Öst from Snask, and Philippine-based illustrator Jill Arteche.
MOUVO
26 - 27 March, Prague, Czech Republic | CKZ 3900 / CKZ 1900 for students
Immerse yourself in a world of groundbreaking visual creations, inspiring lectures and thought-provoking discussions. A must-visit for creatives and anyone seeking inspiration and originality. Mouvo 2026 will take place in two unique venues: the Planetarium, which features the world’s largest LED dome projection, on Thursday 26 March; and CAMP, which has an impressive 24-metre projection wall, on Friday 27 March. Speakers include Private Island, Lucas Gutierrez, Will MacNeil and Andstudio.Voices in Type Assembly
31 March, Breda, Netherlands | €47.50 / €37.50 for students
Voices in Type Assembly is the international closing conference of the Characters project. Voices in Type. In this project, Graphic Matters explores how typography can function as a cultural, social and political force, together with Vocal Type and Civilisation. Speakers include: Michael Ellsworth, Tré Seals, and Saki Mafundikwa.UBN FOCUS
31 March, Ostend, Belgium | €45 / €22,5 for studentsThe first edition of UBN FOCUS took place during The Crystal Ship, Ostend's renowned contemporary street art festival on the Belgian coast. UBN FOCUS brought together four of UBN's favourite discoveries: These were Lydia Roberts, Bráulio Amado, Isabel and Helen, and SO-ME. The talks that defined previous editions of Us By Night are now presented in the peace and clarity of De Grote Post's classic theatre room in Ostend.
🎛️ Filter Upcoming Conferences & Festivals
Open calls
Copenhagen based Future Days (10-12 June) is looking for skilled facilitator who can guide discussions, listen deeply, and create meaningful conversations. Are you that? Apply here. Deadline 1 March 2026
Want to see your work light up the façade of Disseny Hub Barcelona during OFFF Festival? OFFF invites creators from around the world to submit motion artworks from 15 or 30 seconds for this unique public projection. Submit here Deadline: 2 March · 23:59 CET.
If you life in Tokyo, this open call could be for you? Design Matters is looking for talks or workshops in the design areas: product, UX/UI, game, content, brand, service, motion, front-end, visual, and future. No fee. Submit here. Deadline 31 March.
