DC Design Week (DCDW) returns September 26–October 5, 2025, celebrating the dynamic and evolving creative community across the DMV. For nearly two decades, DCDW has been the region’s creative festival — bringing together thousands of designers, artists, technologists, architects, and cultural leaders for a week of talks, studio tours, exhibitions, and citywide activations that spark dialogue and inspire action.
Our 2025 theme, Unparalleled Pathways, honors the bold, nuanced journeys that shape design today. It highlights that no two creative careers follow the same route, and that these diverse paths enrich our collective future. From authorship and experimentation to sustainability and memory, this year’s programming celebrates the many ways creativity connects us, challenges us, and moves culture forward.
This year’s programming invites designers and creatives to explore, connect, and reflect on their personal process, whether instinctive, experimental, deeply rooted, or still unfolding.
DCDW is powered by the creative community — and we couldn’t do it without dedicated volunteers. Each year, volunteers welcome guests, support speakers, manage events, and capture the energy of our citywide celebration.
As a volunteer, you’ll gain behind-the-scenes access to events, connect with designers and creatives across disciplines, and play an essential role in shaping the experience for over 2,000 attendees.
Tickets are priced to balance accessibility and sustainability. Proceeds support the AIGA DC Design Continuum Fund, which provides scholarships to emerging designers across the DMV.
DC Design Week is made possible by sponsors and partners who believe in the power of creativity to transform our communities. From local businesses to global brands, their support fuels programming, offsets ticket costs, and sustains scholarships for the next generation of designers.
