The Art Institutes Students’ Talent Shines For Thousands to See at the 2011 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

A combination of art and talent exploded as The Art Institutes students worked behind the scenes at the 2011 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, June 9 – 12 in Student Studio: Bonnaroo. Student Studio: Bonnaroo is a first-of-its-kind partnership, through which students from Art Institutes schools contributed creative services to North America’s largest music festival. Art Institutes students embarked on a series of 15 festival projects ranging from creating merchandise design, to shade structure design concepts to a sustainable fashion line.

As festival attendees took in sights and sounds, Student Studio: Bonnaroo was in full effect as The Art Institutes students were busy putting final touches on dresses for the first-ever Bonnaroo eco-friendly fashion show, setting up animations for the festival big screens, arranging artists’ dressing rooms, and ensuring the Bonnaroo merchandise was ready to be bought as souvenirs.

Other students saw their visions brought to life: Industrial Design students watched festival goers enjoy some shade under their shade structure design which was built on the Bonnaroo site, and Graphic Design students watched their designs walk by them on fans’ t-shirts.

Chris Issaq of Superfly Marketing Group, Bonnaroo’s marketing and partnerships division, remarked on The Art Institutes students’ presence at the festival, “The students became part of the Bonnaroo team. In truth, they were from the start. Cut from the same cloth with tremendous creativity and passion for building the ultimate experience for our community.”

The Art Institute of Portland apparel design student Devon Burris reflected on her experience at Bonnaroo, “I had done some theater work, but not a full fashion show. It’s a lot of work. There’s something about the atmosphere. It’s inspiring. We worked individually and the Department Heads gave us feedback and encouragement.”

The Art Institute of Indianapolis graphic design student Thomas Jackson was impressed by the festival. “I had an amazing time at Bonnaroo. The bands were amazing, and the environment was fun. I was completely in awe about how big this event really was,” Jackson said.

Learn more about The Art Institutes schools and Student Studio: Bonnaroo here.

About The Art Institutes
The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu) is a system of more than 45 education institutions located throughout North America. The Art Institutes system is America’s Leader in Creative Education providing an important source for design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. Several institutions included in The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University.

About Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo was conceived in 2002 by Superfly Presents and A.C. Entertainment, and continues to make a strong impact on the American music industry. It has served as a launching pad for such popular artists as Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, Robert Randolph, My Morning Jacket, Ray Lamontagne, Matisyahu, and many others. A creative and cultural mega-success, Bonnaroo has featured a staggeringly diverse range of world-class acts such as Bob Dylan, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Radiohead, Jay-Z, Phish, Willie Nelson, The Police, Pearl Jam, David Byrne, Tom Petty, Tool, Wilco, The Dave Matthews Band, James Brown, The White Stripes, Al Green, Nine Inch Nails, The Dead, Regina Spektor, Widespread Panic, Death Cab For Cutie, Elvis Costello, Ornette Coleman, Amadou and Mariam, Beck, TV on the Radio, Against Me!, Merle Haggard, The Black Crowes, Phoenix, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, Bright Eyes, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, Jurassic 5, Modest Mouse, The Mars Volta, Common, Burning Spear, the Flaming Lips, among many others.

The festival is also starting to make quite an impact on the comedy industry as well, as it has featured some of today's best comedians working today. From Conan O’Brien and Chris Rock to Zach Galifianakis and Jimmy Fallon, to Lewis Black, Flight of the Concords, David Cross, Fred Armisen to, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, Jim Norton, Patton Oswalt, Louis CK, Janeane Garofalo, Aziz Ansari, John Oliver and Brian Posehn, Bonnaroo is now considered to be an essential play for every comedian both established and on the rise.