5 reasons to get excited about Adobe MAX

I came back with a totally new way of creative thinking.

Monica Javanainen

Adobe MAX is right around the corner. One week from now, some of you will be joining one of the biggest worldwide conferences around creativity and making things happen. Others may just choose to join the conversation online at #AdobeMAX or watch the keynotes live on October 5, 17:30–19:30am BST and October 6, 18–19:30am BST (you can sign up here to stay updated on what’s next for Creative Cloud).

But some of you may well be wondering: why should you pay attention? That is why we brought together some creative minds to try and find out why they’re excited about Adobe MAX, and why you should be too.

1. It gives you a fresh perspective

When we asked Ashleigh Allsopp, from Digital Arts, the answer was quite clear: MAX changes how you see things. In Ashleigh’s words:

2015’s Adobe MAX will be my third time attending the conference and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I’ve always found it to be inspiring, and come away from it with a fresh perspective on creativity.

2. It has a unique, passionate audience

First-timer Tom May, from design blog Creative Bloq, couldn’t be more excited about MAX. Why? Because of the people he’s expecting to see there:

This will be my first time at MAX, and although I’ve been to numerous London-based Adobe events over the years as a journalist, I’m intrigued about how they do things stateside.

For starters, I’m expecting a lot more audience participation. You can never expect much in the way of wooping from us miserable Brits, but I’m expecting an American crowd to be much more vocal and enthusiastic about their craft.

I’m also anticipating the sheer size of the event to affect the atmosphere – positively I hope. Plus, with the cold winter nights drawing in across England, I’m looking forward to enjoying some Californian sunshine. Don’t let me down, LA!

3. It never fails to surprise

Katy Cowan, from art and design blog Creative Boom, is expecting a few days absolutely filled with creativity and new things. These are her words:

This will be my second trip to Adobe MAX and it never disappoints. Everything from the inspirational to the iconic – it’s the must-see event of the year for anyone who loves being creative. I’m looking forward to discovering what Adobe has up its sleeves next. I’m sure it will surprise and delight!

4. It’s a central stage for digital publishing tools

Henrik Malmgreen, from Digital Publishing and Imaging, shared this with us:

I always love to attend MAX – it is like a Roskilde Festival of creativity. I’m sure this year will be no exception, my main focus is on Photography and Digital Publishing Solution and this year has many interesting activities around DPS.

5. It offers a chance to learn with the pros

When we asked J+Co.’s Monica Javanainen, her enthusiasm about MAX just came through so quickly:

Last time I attended, was in 2013 and I must admit I came back with a totally new way of creative thinking. Ever since, I have wanted to return but I simply couldn’t fit the dates in my schedule. However, this year I did!

What to expect? I’m personally looking forward to get inspired, to learn from the pros, to exchange ideas with the other attendees and just enjoy the thrilling creative atmosphere. My interests are in graphic design and illustration, so I mixed a track based on Adobe Creative Cloud, Photoshop, Illustrator, Typekit and Adobe mobile apps (Brush, Shape, Color, Comp and more). Here’s a few of the sessions I booked: Photoshop Shortcuts for Graphic Designers, Dismantling Your Responsive Web Design Workflow and Living to Tell the Story, and Painting with Photoshop. Just to name but a few… I just can’t wait to get there. It will be super!

Even if you’re not planning on being in LA next week, you can still follow everything online. Join the Adobe MAX keynotes live on October 5, 17:30–19:30am BST and October 6, 18–19:30am BST by signing up here. Or simply follow the conversation on Twitter at #AdobeMAX.