Design Fest 2025 | Works In Progress

Kicking off Maine Design Fest on First Friday.

An evening of short, inspiring micro-talks about creativity, design, and the real ways they shape careers, products, and teams.

Works in Progress is a creative-high-energy speaker series featuring 6–8 lightning talks from designers, makers, and creative leaders. Each speaker has just 10-15 minutes to dive into a big idea: a personal story, a wild project, a creative breakthrough, or a design lesson that affected their trajectory.

Whether it’s a quick work share, a topic deep-dive, or a behind-the-scenes look at someone’s path — every talk is meant to spark inspiration, start conversations, and remind us that we’re all works in progress.

What to Expect:

• 6–8 dynamic speakers from across the creative and tech worlds
• Quick, engaging 10-minute presentations
• Topics that range from personal journeys to project breakdowns
• Food, drinks, and mingling before and after the talks
• A great crowd of designers, technologists, students, and curious minds

Confirmed Speakers:

• Allison Supron - Creative Director @ Cash App
• Nick Dupey - Creative Consultant - ex Managing Director @ Ideo
• J.R. Schmidt - Motion Designer @ Google Creative Lab

🤝 Part of , a weeklong celebration of creativity and connection across Maine. Hosted by The Foundry in partnership with The Maine Center. Sponsored by Black Math.

Also check out other Arts events in Portland, Festivals in Portland.