In addition to lining up the TED-style talks for the first-ever In/Visible Talks, held on January 11, 2018, we intentionally scheduled breaks throughout the day for our attendees, speakers and partners to get connected. Basically, between The Talks, we made time for more talking. We hoped to take advantage of the energy, experiences, and enthusiasm of the wide range of designers, artists, and creative thinkers who had come together.

There were opportunities while stretching and snacking, while waiting in line for the lunch, and during the Lunch + Learn.

Attendees reported back that there was a good balance of listening and participating, of being part of the crowd and chatting one-on-one. As one person said, “It was large enough where there were plenty of people to chat with, but at the same time, it still felt intimate.”

Here are some highlights.

“Great crowd!” said one attendee, and many others told us how much they appreciated the diversity of careers and experiences.

We saw lots of networking happen throughout the day. “I made at least five connections that I’m following up with that will help with my job,” one person told us.

We were thrilled to hear that some loved the “un-stuffiness” and “un-fussyness” of the day. More feedback included notes from attendees who felt they were in “a room of friends.”

The sun came out just in time for lunch, and we caught some breathtaking views from the rooftop garden. While some enjoyed the fresh air and good company, some participated in the Lunch + Learn, where six professionals moderated roundtable discussions on different topics related to the creative process.

In partnership with Google, we crafted our very first student program resulting in an academic attendance grant. After an application process, six students were invited to attend the In/Visible Talks 2018 free of charge. The night before the conference the grant recipients also attended an exclusive pre-conference event where they met one-on-one with Googlers to learn more about design at Google.

Afterwards, the students went out to grab drinks, then spent the day with each other at the conference. It was such a joy to see them make such strong connections with each other.

We hope you’ll continue to be part of our conversations on the creative process. For information about upcoming Salons, Workshops, and other special events, visit the In/Visible Project website.