2026 SEGD Conference Experience Kansas City
Oct 22 – 24, 2026
Meet Me in the Middle
Kansas City sits at the crossroads—geographically, culturally, and creatively. In 2026, SEGD brings its annual Conference Experience to this dynamic Midwestern hub to explore how place, community, and imagination shape experiential design.
This year’s theme, Meet Me in the Middle, is an invitation to explore convergence: where client vision meets user need, where culture meets place, where technology meets humanity, and where great ideas become meaningful experiences. Hosted in the heart of the country, the conference brings together designers, strategists, artists, and changemakers to explore how design creates connection across disciplines, communities, and increasingly complex worlds.
From iconic fountains and historic boulevards to revitalized arts districts, cultural corridors, and world-class sports venues, Kansas City offers a living laboratory for experience-led design.
Practice Areas
Focus Areas
Reserve Your Stay
Kansas City Marriott Downtown
SEGD has secured a discounted room block.
$217/night (plus tax and fees). Available through September 29, 2026, or while inventory lasts. If you need to call the hotel directly, please dial 816.421-6800.
Featured Speakers
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Rick Smith
Conference Co-Chair; Vice President of Experiential Design, Dimensional Innovations
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Wendy Manning
Conference Co-Chair; Managing Principal, Demeter Strategy Design
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Jackie Berra
Conference Co-Chair; Founder and Brand Experience Director, JBerra Consulting & Design
Conference Highlights
Keynotes & Mainstage Talks: Influential voices across design, architecture, technology, public art, sports venues, and storytelling.
Half-Day Guided Tours: Curated experiences across: exhibition & cultural spaces, sports & fan environments, digital & immersive media studios, and urban design & placemaking districts. Tour details to be announced soon
Interactive Workshops & Co-Creation Sessions: Hands-on collaboration and experimentation.
Community Events & Networking: Formal and informal moments to connect, share insights, and build relationships.
Why Attend
As experience designers, we have always lived in the middle. Between client vision and user need. Between the built environment and the human spirit. Between the world as it is and the world as it should be.
The 2026 SEGD Conference Experience invites us to explore some of the most important questions facing our profession:
- When does place shape design, and when does design shape place?
- How do we integrate client vision, community voice, and user need without losing any of them?
- How do we create work that doesn’t just get seen, but felt, remembered, and carried forward?
Through keynotes, workshops, tours, and conversations with leaders across design, culture, technology, and the built environment, we’ll examine how experiential design helps people navigate complexity, build understanding, and create meaningful connections.
NEXPO: The Industry Marketplace
NEXPO connects design thinking with making.
It’s the place to see, touch, and discuss the materials, technologies, and fabrication approaches that turn design concepts into built environments.
As the conference marketplace and showcase, NEXPO offers:
- Direct access to products, materials, media, and services used in experiential projects
- Face-to-face conversations with industry partners and makers
- Opportunities to explore fabrication techniques, technologies, and workflows
- A space where ideas move from concept to implementation
For attendees, NEXPO is where inspiration meets execution. For exhibitors, it’s where relationships begin and partnerships take shape.
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