We carry out our mission through our programs that are grounded in Community Engagement, Workforce Development, and Education.

Through our Community Engagement programs, we host Creativity Speaks, a salon-style Speaker Series designed to celebrate local creatives, affect attendees/listeners to be inspired by creatives outside their industry, and build our creative community. We feature traditional and non-traditional creatives to draw mixed audiences to encourage intermingling between creative industries, as well as traditional and non-traditional creatives. Creativity Speaks is dedicated to equitable representation and a celebration of the diversity of creative thought. We also host networking events that bring our community together, and discussions on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility topics that affect our community.

Our Workforce Development programs create awareness of, and access to, careers in our regional creative workforce. Ascenders Academy is a six-month mentorship cohort that provides emerging designers with tools, skills, and community relationships that will take them to the next level of their careers. We also host an annual Creative Career Fair, connect people with work through our Job Board and personal connections, and create opportunities for local creatives to connect with potential employers and clients and expand their network.

Our Education programs offer opportunities for creatives at all levels to develop new skills and advance their careers through hybrid learning models, studio tours, workshops, lectures and more. We also partner with local colleges and universities to share our programs, services and opportunities.

Finally, Design Week Sacramento is an annual celebration of our creative community and is a culmination of all of our programming. Throughout the week, we offer Lectures, Panels, Workshops, Networking Events, Studio Tours, and more. All events are hosted by our local design community with the mission to improve the awareness of, and access to, the diverse careers that make up our creative economy.