Frequently asked questions

We’ve got options—traditional programming will be virtual, but we also offer self-guided events.

All virtual events will be streamed live via Zoom or Zoom Webinar.

Each event is ticketed separately to ensure you aren’t paying for any events you don’t want to attend. We’re also hosting a number of free self-guided events that you can participate in based on your own schedule.

These are designed to get you outside and away from your computer, safely exploring the city. (Please wear a mask and socially distance!)
We strongly recommend you join your Zoom session via your computer so you can easily view the presenter and any visuals they may share. Download the Zoom app ahead of time (it’s free!) to make joining your events as smoothly as possible.

You can also join through your browser.
Once you’ve registered for your event through Eventbrite, you will receive an email with a link to the live stream. You will receive the link again shortly before the event starts so it’s at the top of your inbox.

If you have any trouble finding the Zoom link for your event, please contact us in the hour leading up to the start time.
We want to create a more intimate space for conversations, ensuring only those who register the event can join.

Make sure your full name on Zoom matches your registration name by hovering over your name in the participant list, selecting “More”, then “Rename.” If you have dialed in by phone, please send us an email immediately with your event name and phone number in the subject of the email.

We will send reminders as people join the waiting room and will only admit those whose display name matches our registration list.
We encourage you to first explore Zoom’s Help Center . If you aren’t able to resolve the issue that way, please reach out to us.
We will honor refunds – no questions asked – up until 24 hours before your event start time.

We will not honor refunds for technical difficulties unless you reach out to us at the start of the event to see if we can help troubleshoot your issue (we’ll likely ask to see what steps from Zoom’s guide you’ve tried to start).

We will not offer refunds if you aren’t admitted from the waiting room because your display name did not match our registration list.
All of our virtual events will include live captioning.

If you need additional accommodation, please contact us. We ask that you request your accommodation as early as possible, as we may not be able to fulfill all requests made after September 15. We honor your privacy and no identifying information (i.e. your name) is required to request an accomodation.
- Request an accommodation through this Google Form
- Email us at accessbility@dc.aiga.org
- Call our Accessibility Lead, Josh Kim, by phone at 571-302-1504
Many events will be recorded, but it will be up to the speakers if they wish them to be released after the event. While we hope to share many, we can’t guarantee that a particular event will be available to stream. We would discourage buying a ticket in hopes of a recording being shared after the fact.
We know that this year presents unexpected and difficult economic hardship for many of us. We don’t want cost to be a barrier for entry for anyone, so we’ve tried to make our programming as affordable as possible.

The tickets go to cover our expenses, including streaming platforms and for live closed captioning. We’re also doing a revenue share to ensure all of our speakers receive some compensation for bringing their talent, expertise, and time to our community.

This year, DC Design Week is donating ALL profit from the week’s events to the Design Continuum Fund, which helps launch the next generation of talented artists and designers by offering financial support for minority and economically disadvantaged students. In addition to DCDW’s contribution, AIGA DC will continue pledging 10% of all our event revenue to the scholarship fund, too.

If the ticket cost is a barrier for you, please reach out to us at designweek@dc.aiga.org and we will offer discounted or free entry, no questions asked.