“What can design do in the next five years to increase outcomes for everyone?” This is the question Marley Weedman Lorish, Bend Design’s organizer and executive director of Scalehouse Collaborative for The Arts, poses to the remarkable creatives speaking at this year’s conference. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Bend Design, put on by Scalehouse Gallery, and to celebrate, Weedman Lorish is pushing creatives to think of design not as something materialistic, but as a tool for change. With the theme of designing for a better future, this year’s conference is sure to bring together diverse perspectives of design, making it an inspiring experience for everyone.
Martha Murray and Renee Mitchell, the co-founders of the Bend Design Conference, first started it in 2015 after being inspired by Portland Design Week. They wanted to bring a design conference to Bend to support the already thriving creative community and create opportunities closer to home. When asked how Bend Design has evolved over the last 10 years, Murray said, “The conference grew very quickly over the first five years, and when the pandemic hit we had to pivot to moving things online.” She feels that since the pandemic hit, like other events, the conference hasn’t been the same, but it has still been successful in bringing people together and continuing to inspire creativity. Murray is grateful for how much the community has embraced and supported the conference throughout the years, and since she and Mitchell were the conference organizers for the last nine years, they are excited to see what new energy Weedman Lorish will bring to this year’s conference.
Weedman Lorish loves the term “design” because it is so broad and intersectional. “Design isn’t just for artists and creatives, but for mental health advocates, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to think creatively.” She says she is most excited about, “The culmination of so many different perspectives and how everyone is coming together for this broad term with a very specific perspective or niche.” Weedman Lorish is grateful to be a part of a conference that has provided a space for designers of all different facets and from all different places to connect, create, and learn over the last 10 years. She is also excited to see “What lights other people up,” and to be blown away by things she’s never thought about before.
A change in organizers and the 10th anniversary means this year’s conference will look a little different, including the location, which will be the Oregon State University-Cascades Campus. Weedman Lorish says, “By celebrating on the OSU-Cascades campus, we are hoping to bring a more educational spirit to Bend Design, making it more accessible and inclusive across age demographics, including students. We hope that the conference will introduce students to the world of professional design and allow them to make professional connections.” On top of being a great opportunity to make the conference more accessible to students, the OSU-Cascades campus aligns with the values of Bend Design, which include sustainability, innovation, creativity, health and wellness. These are all values that Bend Design will touch on through its various speakers and workshops in early November.
There are a lot of talented creatives to look forward to at this year’s conference, including Lisa Congdon, a Portland artist. Her design and art career started as a hobby, but 20 years later, that hobby is now a career. Congdon now runs a studio where she creates beautiful pieces that she sells out of her Portland store and online to clients around the world. She says she’s best known for, “her colorful, graphic style,” and “focus on themes of joy, liberation, and inclusion.” When asked what people can expect from her talk, Congdon told the Source it will focus on, “the future of design that centers our humanity and intersects with mental health, social justice and inclusion.” She’s also excited to hear from all of the other talented creatives.
Another talented designer speaking at this year’s conference is Charlie Sprinkman (he/they), founder of Everywhere is Queer. Sprinkman founded Everywhere is Queer, “a global directory and free app that connects people to more than 20,000 queer-owned businesses around the world.” The idea for Everywhere is Queer originated from Charlie’s, “own experiences traveling and constantly searching for safe, affirming spaces, but finding that information was scattered or hard to access.” Charlie’s talk will not only focus on the story behind Everywhere is Queer, but also on his perspective of entrepreneurship. He says, “I’ll be encouraging folks to think creatively about how they can bring inclusive and impactful ideas into the spaces they’re already in.” When asked why he wanted to be a part of this year’s conference, Sprinkman said, “Bend Design is all about creativity, innovation, and using design to shape the future. That deeply resonates with me, because Everywhere Is Queer is not just about building an app, it’s about designing systems that make people feel seen, included, and empowered.”
To add to this year’s celebrations, Bend Design will host its first ever public reception at the Scalehouse Gallery during First Friday. The reception will include prints and print demos from Studio 6000, a printmaking company based in Sisters, exhibits and info about various workshops. This will be a chance for people to learn more and buy tickets to the conference. With more than eight speakers and countless workshops you won’t want to miss this conference, taking place Nov. 7-8. Be sure to visit https://www.scalehouse.org/benddesign to learn more.
Bend Design 2025
Nov. 7 & 8
OSU-Cascades
1500 SW Chandler Ave., Bend
$35-$215
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This article appears in the Source September 25, 2025.
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