April | 2019 | Cimoroni's Digital Art

Cimoroni Final Project Proposal

In my world, music and being queer are the two most important things in my life (at least in the realm outside of family and basic needs). I frequent Axis, Club 20, AWOL, and other queer bars around the city. I also frequent an underground party called “Sissy Bar”- a party that has no known date or location until it gets closer and closer to the event. I started to read more about the underground party scene and it intrigued me to no end. I researched and found out that the mystery to underground parties are what make them so successful. Having everything remain a secret makes the event feel more exclusive and “cool” to party-goers.

So what about music festivals? Do these also borrow from the underground scene? The mystery of the lineup for huge festivals like Bonnaroo or Coachella has festival goers on the edge of their seat. People will buy insanely priced tickets before the lineup is even released, and they are rewarded for buying into the mystery with cheaper tickets pre-lineup release.

So, what about combining the two? An underground small music festival combined with a party that goes until 5am (if you can hang that late). And thus, “Shhh! Fest” was born.

What is Shhh! Fest? It’s a mystery! At least for the time being when the first teaser poster is released. The way Shhh! Fest will be promoted is only on paper. Screen-prints will be made of posters and placed around the city. Then it’s up to word of mouth after that. By releasing teaser 1, with anonymous band names and just the location, it gets people to talk. What bands are coming? Why do we have to be quiet (in regards to the SHHHHHHH repeated across the poster).

With the next three posters, I will release them to the streets in order of how popular each band is. COIN will be the first since they are still up-and-coming, then the 1975 because they are much more popular, then Paramore since they are definitely the most popular and will get the majority of people excited.

Lastly, the final lineup will be released with all three bands, and location. Still, time and date will be withheld to keep up the mystery, but will obviously be released closer to the date.

Tickets will be limited and hard to come by, and it will be a big buzz about town. Hopefully attracting tourism and it will help to support not only the local venue, but surrounding local businesses.

I will be using Photoshop to make type posters, and images of bands and their logos (along with Spacebar’s logo).

I am really excited to dive into this project because music is my life. I am inspired by these three bands like no other. They are my current favorites and imagining them coming to a festival I created is really fun for me to work on. I am inspired by the underground party scene and music festival scene, but I made this project my own. I wanted to stray away from the music festival lineups that you see because they are often too cluttered and not aesthetically pleasing.

Why is this important? I am currently inspired by a local art student at CCAD. She and her friend for their senior thesis are literally creating a music festival called SO Fest and their branding is fantastic. Most people do a mock up, but they booked local bands and vendors which I think is so inspiring. I want to one day do this myself, maybe even something like Shhh! Fest. I do not know what I want to do for the rest of my life, but I do know that this past semester, I have found myself loving to create content surrounding music and queer experiences. It might not be what I want my real “big girl” job to be, but it is something that I have definitely been thinking more about to make more than a hobby of.