Insights Design Lecture Series
The Walker’s Insights Design Lecture Series showcases leading design thinkers and professionals who are reshaping the field.
The annual Insights Design Lecture Series presents in-person lectures by leading design thinkers and professionals. A longtime collaboration between the Walker Art Center and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Minnesota, Insights serves as a resource for anyone interested in design. In addition to hosting four marquee lectures each year, the series also offers free workshops and an online video archive of past lectures. Since its inception in 1986, Insights has welcomed both established and emerging voices from around the world, from April Greiman, Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, and Irma Boom to Experimental Jetset, Martine Syms, and Bráulio Amado.
Organized by the Walker Design Studio, Insights offers a snapshot of a discipline always in flux. In addition to showcasing incredible work, the series addresses contemporary issues in design, expanded studio practice, and design’s possible futures. In partnership with Minneapolis’ own Shapco Printing, the series is accompanied each year by a free printed poster that serves as a record of the work of the studio and its ongoing dialogue with the wider field.
2020–
Kirsty Carter & Emma Thomas (A Practice for Everyday Life)
2026
Kirsty Carter & Emma Thomas (A Practice for Everyday Life)
Zak Kyes (Zak Group)
2026
Zak Kyes (Zak Group)
Michael Cina (Cina Associates/Ghostly)
2026
Michael Cina (Cina Associates/Ghostly)
(Canceled) Insights 2026: Hassan Rahim (12:01AM)
2026
(Canceled) Insights 2026: Hassan Rahim (12:01AM)
2025
Shannon Maldonado (Yowie)
Watch Shannon Maldonado
2025
Zeynep Orbay, Wieden+Kennedy
Watch Zeynep Orbay
2025
Actual Source
Watch Actual Source
2025
Odd Mart
Watch Odd Mart
2025
Unknown Unknowns
2025
Designer and Printer Collaborations
2024
Alex Lin
Watch Alex Lin
2024
Leila Taylor
Watch Leila Taylor
2024
DIA Studio
Watch DIA Studio
2024
Twin Cities Zine Fest
Watch Twin Cities Zine Fest
2024
Temporary Services
Watch Temporary Services
2023
Grupa Ee
Watch Grupa Ee
2023
Extreme Noise Records
Watch Extreme Noise Records
2023
Angela Washko
Watch Angela Washko
2023
Serifcan Ozcan
Watch Serifcan Ozcan
2023
WeShouldDoItAll (WSDIA)
Watch WSDIA
2023
Prem Krishnamurthy
Watch Prem Krishnamurthy
2022
Tracy Ma, Homer
Watch Tracy Ma, Homer
2022
Danielle Aubert
Watch Danielle Aubert
2022
Wael Morcos & Jonathan Key
Watch Wael Morcos & Jonathan Key
2022
Piotr Szyhalski (Labor Camp)
Watch Piotr Szyhalski
2021
Eric Timothy Carlson & Aaron Anderson
Watch Eric Timothy Carlson & Aaron Anderson
2021
Heather Dewey-Hagborg & Chelsea Manning
Watch Heather Dewey-Hagborg & Chelsea Manning
2021
Daniel DeSure (Total Luxury Spa/Commonwealth Projects)
Watch Daniel DeSure
2020
Ruben Pater (Untold Stories)
Watch Ruben Pater
2020
Leland Maschmeyer (Chobani)
Watch Leland Maschmeyer
2010–2019
2019
Forest Young (Wolff Olins)
Watch Forest Young
Bráulio Amado (B.A.D. Studio)
2019
Bráulio Amado (B.A.D. Studio)
2019
Mirko Borsche (Bureau Borsche)
Watch Mirko Borsche
2019
Gail Bichler (New York Times Magazine)
Watch Gail Bichler
2018
Archie Lee Coates IV (PLAYLAB INC.)
Watch Archie Lee Coates IV
2018
Sheila Levrant de Bretteville (Yale University/SheilaStudio)
Watch Sheila Levrant de Bretteville
Greg Hoffman (Nike, Inc.)
2018
Greg Hoffman (Nike, Inc.)
2018
Paul Soulellis (Counterpractice)
Watch Paul Soulellis
2017
Rob Giampietro (Google Design)
Watch Rob Giampietro
Andy Rementer
2017
Andy Rementer
2017
Clara Balaguer and Kristian Henson (Office of Culture & Design/Hardworking Goodlooking)
Watch Clara Balaguer and Kristian Henson
2017
Richard Turley (Wieden + Kennedy)
Watch Richard Turley
2016
Sulki and Min Choi (Sulki & Min)
Watch Sulki and Min Choi
2016
Brian Roettinger (Hand Held Heart)
Watch Brian Roettinger
2016
Jon Sueda (Stripe S.F.)
Watch Jon Sueda
2016
Susan Sellers (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2x4)
Watch Susan Sellers
2015
Andrew Blauvelt (Minnesota by Design)
Watch Andrew Blauvelt
April Greiman
2015
April Greiman
2015
K-HOLE
Watch K-HOLE
2015
Bart de Baets
Watch Bart de Baets
2015
James Langdon
Watch James Langdon
2014
Lance Wyman
Watch Lance Wyman
2014
Sara De Bondt
Watch Sara De Bondt
2014
Martine Syms
2014
Henrik Nygren
Watch Henrik Nygren
2013
Geoff McFetridge (Champion Studio)
Watch Geoff McFetridge
2013
Eike König (Hort)
Watch Eike König
2013
Job Wouters (Letman)
Watch Job Wouters
2013
Luna Maurer (Moniker)
Watch Luna Maurer
2012
Aaron Draplin (Draplin Design Company)
Watch Aaron Draplin
2012
Khoi Vinh (Lascaux Co.)
Watch Khoi Vinh
2012
Michael Lejeune
Watch Michael Lejeune
2012
David Pearson
Watch David Pearson
2011
Kevin Quealy (New York Times)
Watch Kevin Quealy
2011
Michael Hart (Mono)
Watch Michael Hart
2011
James Goggin (Practise)
Watch James Goggin
2011
Julie Beeler (Second Story Interactive)
Watch Julie Beeler
2011
Casey Caplowe (Good)
Watch Casey Caplowe
2010
Eddie Opara
Watch Eddie Opara
2010
Peter Buchanan-Smith (Best Made Co.)
Watch Peter Buchanan-Smith
2010
Irma Boom
Watch Irma Boom
2010
Stefan G. Bucher (344 Design)
Watch Stefan G. Bucher
2000–2009
2009
Eric Olson & Nicole Dotin (Process Type Foundry)
Watch Eric Olson & Nicole Dotin
2009
David Reinfurt
Watch David Reinfurt
2009
Marieke Stolk & Danny van den Dungen (Experimental Jetset)
Watch Marieke Stolk & Danny van den Dungen
2009
Ellen Lupton
Watch Ellen Lupton
2008
Marian Bantjes
2008
Alejandro Quinto & Lorraine Gauthier (Work Worth Doing)
2008
Prem Krishnamurthy & Adam Michaels (Project Projects)
Ed Fella
2008
Ed Fella
2007
Daniel Eatock
Watch Daniel Eatock
2007
Stuart Bailey, Michael Bierut & Debbie Millman
Lorraine Wild
2007
Lorraine Wild
2007
Jop van Bennekom
Watch Jop van Bennekom
2006
Bill Grant (Grant Design Collaborative)
2006
Richard Boynton & Scott Thares (Wink)
2006
Armand Mevis & Linda van Deursen (Mevis & Van Deursen)
2006
Chip Kidd
2005
Masamichi Udagawa & Sigi Moeslinger (Antenna Design)
Maureen Mooren & Daniel van der Velden (MM&DVDD)
2005
Maureen Mooren & Daniel van der Velden (MM&DVDD)
2005
Paul Sahre (The Office of Paul Sahre)
