Live and In-Person—We’re Back

The UCDA Design Conference has everything you want—the place, the people, and the presentations—and this October we will be bringing you something we have not had in over a year. We will be gathering in beautiful Denver, Colorado for a live and in-person event—we’re back!

We are encouraged by news of increased vaccine deployment and continued community feedback about your excitement to return to in-person events. As such, we are planning for, and excited to welcome, attendees to this in-person conference while acknowledging the complexities of planning a safe and effective in-person, indoor conference that meets new and emerging local, state, and federal regulations.

Every year, we look forward to connecting with our design community at the conference where we take an in-depth look at the issues and trends in design and communication communities, both in and out of educational institutions, and gain inspiration to spark our creativity and improve our collaborations. The UCDA Design Conference is an incredibly important event for UCDA and it’s one of our favorite ways to celebrate all of you. It will have main stage and keynote speakers, the annual UCDA Design Awards, and the UCDA Foundation’s auction.

Past conference attendees (photos by Matthew Lester).

Three Reasons to Invest in This Conference

EDUCATION
There are eleven carefully curated mainstage and keynote sessions over four days that cover the gamut of work you do, plus additional content happenings throughout the conference.

NETWORKING
UCDA is your people. It's time to connect live and in-person with the folks who do what you do so you can charge your creative battery.

INSPIRATION
Get inspired by the award-winning work in the UCDA Design Awards Show.

Conference Pass

The Conference Pass gets you access to all the scheduled conference activities, programming (main stage and key notes), and meals with the exception of the pre-conference workshops/add-ons where pre-registration and an additional fee is required.

Left to right: RiNo Street Art (photo courtesy Visit Denver); Denver Art Museum; Rocky Mountain National Park (photo courtesy Rocky Mountain National Park).

Conference Schedule

The conference schedule is evolving and speakers continually being added.

Registration

Be sure to login before you click the register button to take advantage of your UCDA member or emeritus discounted pricing.

*Don’t know the speaker line up? Haven’t heard what workshops are being held? It doesn't matter since you already know UCDA puts on a stellar and relevant program! Take advantage and save!

 Register here for single day passes

See UCDA’s cancellation policy.

THREE WAYS TO REGISTER
1. Online
Click the "REGISTER" button at right to register online. You will be able to register for the conference as well as any optional activites (add-ons) including pre-conference workshops, publication swap shop, guest meal pass, and more.

2. Printed Registration Form
Download a PDF of the registration form (available soon), complete and mail, fax, or email to UCDA.

University & College Designers Association
199 Enon Springs Road West, Suite 400
Smyrna, TN 37167
615-459-5229 fax
info@ucda.com

3. Call Us
Call us at 615-459-4559 and we can register you by phone. Please have your payment information available.

VOLUNTEER
Be sure to indicate “yes” on the Conference Registration form and a volunteer coordinator will be in touch. For more information, contact the UCDA Home Office at 615-459-4559, or email info@ucda.com.

INSIDER TIP: GET YOUR REGISTRATION COVERED
Budget’s tight this year? Apply for one of the professional development scholarships which cover your registration cost. Voila! You’ll only have travel and lodging to deal with.

SCHOLARSHIPS
UCDA recognizes the importance of lifelong learning and, as a result, proudly supports members through the dedicated funding of the UCDA Foundation professional development scholarship program. This program provides opportunities for members to attend the UCDA Design Conference. Two types of scholarships are available: Professional Development Scholarship and Elevating Black Design Voices Professional Development Scholarship. Both of these scholarship programs cover the registration cost for the conference.

Scholarships are funded by the UCDA Foundation and in 2021 by a grant from the Julius Friedman Foundation.

Deadline: July 16

[Professional Development Scholarship: Information and Application]
[Elevating Black Design Voices Professional Development Scholarship: Information and Application]

Past conference attendees (photos by Matthew Lester).

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Looking for a powerful way to introduce your product or service to graphic designers in higher education and at educational institutions this year? Make plans now to join the University & College Designers Association for its annual UCDA Design Conference! Interested in exhibiting at the UCDA Resource Center at the conference or becoming a sponsor? Contact UCDA at info@ucda.com or 615-459-4559 to learn more!

Chair/Co-Chair

Felisha Weaver, Director of Publications and Creative Services, Arkansas Tech University
Anna McBrayer, Art Director, Fort Lewis College

Travel

GETTING TO DENVER
Denver International Airport (DEN) is is located 26 miles northeast of downtown Denver and is connected to downtown Denver via the Airport Rail.

Denver Union Station (Amtrak) is located 1 mile northwest of the conference hotel. Amtrak’s California Zephyr line runs through the heart of Denver with a stop at Denver Union Station. Other stops on this line include Chicago, Omaha, Salt Lake City, and Oakland.

AIRPORT RAIL
At a cost of only $10.50 each way (as of June 11), you can now take the airport rail (known as the A Line) between the airport and Denver Union Station. The 23-mile ride takes approximately 37 minutes and serves eight total stations.

16TH STREET MALL
The 16th Street Mall is located in the heart of downtown Denver. It is over 1.25 miles long and has free shuttle rides going end to end, giving you easy access to more than 250+ stores and restaurants lining the street.

The Denver Union Station is located at the north end of the 16th Street Mall, and the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel is located near the south end. It's an easy one mile (25-minute walk) or you can hop on the free shuttle between the two.

TAXI AND RIDE-SHARING
Taxi and ride-sharing services are available from the airport and throughout Denver. Approximate taxi fare from airport to hotel is $60 USD. The hotel does not offer shuttle service.

INSIDER TIP: GETTING TO THE HOTEL
By plane/from the airport: Take the A Line downtown to Union Station, then jump on the free 16th Street Mall shuttle to the hotel (or easy 1-mile walk). Total cost: $10.50 versus $60 for a cab.

By train/from Union Station: Jump on the free 16th Street Mall shuttle to the hotel (or easy 1-mile walk). Total cost: Not a penny!

Use the savings to grab a drink at the Yard House—the bar/restaurant at the hotel. The beer menu at Yard House features a variety of new craft, local, seasonal, and imported beers on draft and by the bottle and they have an amazing scratch kitchen.

CARBON OFFSETS
For $18, you may purchase and offset the carbon created by your travel. Participants will receive a luggage tag and will be purchasing 1-1/2 tons, no matter the distance.

Let to right: Jeppesen Terminal at the Denver International Airport; Denver Union Station (photo by Ellen Jaskol); Denver skyline looking west.

Details

CONFERENCE SITE
The conference will be held at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. Situated in the heart of the city, the hotel gives you easy access to the best of the city. Ideally located on the popular 16th Street Mall, a mile-long pedestrian promenade brimming with shopping, dining, nightlife, and entertainment, the hotel places downtown Denver at your fingertips. The health and safety of their guests is their top priority. See the hotels COVID-19 updates and what to expect at the hotel during your stay.

Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel
1550 Court Place
Denver, Colorado 80202
303-893-3333

INSIDER TIP: BOOK YOUR ROOM EARLY
UCDA has a limited room block at the conference hotel, so you are encouraged to book early. Plus, when you book within UCDA’s room block, the hotel will include basic high-speed internet in the guest rooms!

DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES
In order to secure your room, you may book online at book.passkey.com/go/UCDA2021 or contact the hotel directly at 303-893-3333 and mention the UCDA Design Conference to receive your room at the rate of $219 (rooms within the UCDA block include basic high-speed internet in guest rooms).

Deadline to receive this rate is September 3, based on availability.



The hotel stay is not included in the conference registration fees. You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations. Room blocks may fill before the hotel deadline and have sold out the last few years, so please make your reservation immediately to ensure the discounted rate and availability.

Exterior of the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel looking south along the 16th Street Mall toward the Colorado State Capitol (image courtesy of the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel).

I.M. PEI
The conference will take place in the I.M. Pei designed building (one of two towers housing the hotel). It was constructed as the Denver Hilton Hotel in 1960 as part of the Courthouse Square urban renewal project by I.M. Pei & Associates, and is generally regarded as a modernist masterpiece. Pei’s design has a strong repetitive design of concrete panels with a more decorative arrangement on the lower floors. The proportion of the panels mirrors that of the building, being tall and narrow.

[Read more about the I.M. Pei Tower]

The I.M. Pei Tower as it looks today: The interior of the South Convention Lobby and the Skywalk both recently renovated (images courtesy of the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel).

GUEST MEAL PASS
A guest meal pass gets your guest access to all of the event-sponsored meals and breaks including Saturday night’s dinner and dessert reception, breakfast Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday mornings, and the closing reception of the UCDA Foundation Auction on Monday.

UCDA FOUNDATION AUCTION
Each year we ask our members, speakers, sponsors, and anyone in our profession to submit items to be auctioned off during the UCDA Design Conference. Funds collected are used for the foundations's scholarships programs.

Objects made by our members including photographs, paintings, drawings, prints, posters, jewelry, ceramics, weavings, cards, books, etc., are especially well-received by conference attendees. Also, quirky and unusual items such as pop-up books, collectibles, and objects d'art do extremely well in the silent auction.

Items for the auction can be mailed to the UCDA Home Office, or bring them with you to the conference and turn them in at the registration desk.

You may also contribute to the UCDA Foundation outside of auction with a monetary donation.

1. Give or pledge online at the UCDA Foundation website
2. Give using CashApp: $UCDAFoundation
3. Give using PayPal

CODE OF CONDUCT
Please see UCDA’s Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy, including our Statement of Inclusiveness. We expect conference participants to follow these rules at program venues and program-related social events, along with the COVID-19 Code of Conduct.

COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
UCDA is always focused on ensuring a safe and productive conference. The CDC guidelines encourage event organizers like UCDA to follow state and local regulations on gatherings (updates on Covid-19 restrictions in all 50 states can be found here). UCDA will continually monitor the outbreak and make adjustments to the conference plan as needed. That may include additional safety and cleaning measures, social distancing, and/or the wearing of facial coverings.

UCDA will work to implement this guidance, adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. See COVID-19 Code of Conduct.

CANCELLATIONS
See UCDA’s cancellation policy.

Speakers

Sonia Avila, Southwest Airlines
Jeff Bagley, University of Utah
Jamal Collins, Creative Kids Group
Keith Gilbert, InDesign Certified Expert
Marty Gregg, ArtHouse
Rick Griffith, MATTER
Trey Laverty, Slate Group
Carrie Phillips, Arkansas Tech University
Brian Rasmussen, University of Utah
Jeremy Slagle, Slagle Design
Donna Talarico, Hippocampus Magazine and Books
Jesse Wilson, For the Win Project