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About the Conference

What is ICON The Illustration Conference?

ICON The Illustration Conference is the only gathering dedicated entirely to illustration and the people who live and breathe it.

Every two years, we meet in a different US city for a creative free-for-all. It’s four relentless-yet-invigorating days of learning, teaching, laughing, networking, and more. We start early and end late. And sometimes, there’s dancing.

Typical Conference Schedule

Day 1

  • Workshops

  • Education Symposium (Prisms)

  • Portfolio Reviews

  • Animation Screening (Motion Commotion)
     

Day 2

  • Workshops

  • Education Symposium (Prisms)

  • Portfolio Reviews

  • Opening Ceremonies & Keynote (Mainstage)

  • Pop-Up Market (Roadshow) & Opening Party

Day 3

  • Keynotes, Presenters & Small Talks (Mainstage & Kaleidescope)

  • Attendee Gallery Show
     

Day 4

  • Keynotes, Presenters & Small Talks (Mainstage & Kaleidescope)

  • Closing Party

Upcoming Conference

ICON13
Baltimore, MD
July 15–18, 2026

The Vibe

The conference brings together a delightful assortment of characters from around the globe to talk about all things illustration. We work hard to create a dynamic, supportive space* for conversations across illustration, design, publishing, advertising, and education. No silos. No gatekeeping. No snobbery. Just a bunch of folks obsessed with the art, business, and culture of visual storytelling.

Workshops

The first two days of ICON are packed with hands-on workshops, lectures, studio tours, and events led by illustrators, educators, and creative pros. It’s designed to jump-start your conference experience—and maybe even your career. At the very least, it will remind you why you started drawing in the first place.

Prisms: The Illustration Education Symposium

ICON invites conference attendees to see and hear 16 peer-reviewed educators explore the intersection of illustration, research, and teaching. The presentations are interactive, thought-provoking, and often surprisingly fun (even the nerdy ones). It’s where theory meets practice, and where you realize that the future of illustration education is happening in real time, right here.

Motion Commotion: Animation Screening

Motion Commotion is a curated screening of the freshest, most innovative animation and motion work. ICON attendees and non-attendees alike are encouraged to submit experimental animation, narratives, motion graphics, or looped animated shorts for consideration.

Portfolio Reviews

It’s like mixed-media speed dating for introverts! ICON attendees are paired with top art directors—from editorial, publishing, advertising, and beyond—for short one-on-one meetings. It’s fast, it’s focused, it’s for newbies and seasoned pros, and it’s a great chance to make contacts, get advice, and maybe even come away with a gig!

Roadshow: Pop-up Market & Opening Party

ICON kicks off with a one-night-only creative bazaar—with illustrators showcasing prints, comics, books, merch, and all sorts of beautiful nonsense. It’s open to the public and crawling with art directors, ICON speakers, and people who “just came to look.” Come for the eye candy, stay for the food and drink, and leave broke (but with a bag full of awesome).

Mainstage: Keynotes & Presenters

Mainstage is the heart and soul of ICON. Over two and a half days, you can choose from a curated lineup of 45+ speakers representing the industry’s top talent. You could binge YouTube for a month and still never match the inspiration, knowledge, or good vibes you’ll absorb from this amazing programming. 

Kaleidoscope: Small Talks

Sign up to speak your mind and become a part of ICON lore. Kaleidoscope invites eight conference attendees to present for 400 seconds each on whatever relevant, entertaining, or random topic they choose. Think Pecha Kucha, Ignite, or Lightning Talks. Don’t know what those are? Just think 20 slides x 20 seconds per slide. And… Go!

Closing Party

ICON wraps with everyone cutting loose in a celebratory blowout—featuring food, drinks, music, and live performances. It’s part hootenanny and part creative revival. Remember that art director you were too scared to talk to? They’ll seem more human after you watch them dance. That artist you’ve admired your whole life? You’ll become instant besties when you share a mic and belt out some classic karaoke.

Former ICON Speakers Include:

Headshot of former ICON speaker Rudy Gutierrez.
Rudy Gutierrez
Headshot of former ICON speaker Loveis Wise.
Loveis Wise
Headshot of former ICON speaker Piotr Szyhalski.
Piotr Szyhalski
Headshot of former ICON speaker Aimee Mann.
Aimee Mann
Headshot of former ICON speaker Ted Leo.
Ted Leo
Headshot of former ICON speaker George McCalman.
George McCalman
Headshot of former ICON speaker Tyree Guyton.
Tyree Guyton
Headshot of former ICON speaker Emil Ferris.
Emil Ferris
Headshot of former ICON speaker Gail Anderson.
Gail Anderson
Headshot of former ICON speaker Paula Scher.
Paula Scher
Headshot of former ICON speaker Damian Kulash.
Damian Kulash
Headshot of former ICON speaker William Joyce.
William Joyce
Headshot of former ICON speaker Brian Rea.
Brian Rea
Headshot of former ICON speaker Eleanor Davis.
Eleanor Davis
Headshot of former ICON speaker James Victore.
James Victore