1970s-Inspired Women in Music Event Branding

As Director of Marketing at Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, I art directed the annual Gala fundraiser, creating branding and decor that captured each event’s unique theme. The event brought together 500+ supporters and raised more than half a million dollars to support the organization.

For the 2023 “Women in Music” Gala, I decided to channel 1970s counterculture, walking a fine line to avoid kitsch and ensure that the event retained an upscale feel. The event invitations and social media graphics elevated “flower power” graphics with a refined color scheme and subtle Supergraphics-inspired lines. At the event itself, trailblazing women in music were honored with individualized rock concert-style posters, complete with the psychedelic patterns, groovy text, art nouveau style florals. Posters were displayed around the reception space and at each table setting, guests received a small, baseball card-size version of a poster with facts about that musician on the reverse.

The branding provided a fun challenge for me as a designer, combining my love for retro elements with a modern, elegant point of view.

Three of the psychedelic rock poster-inspired designs for composers Gabriela Lena Frank, Lili Boulanger, and Florence Price.

The event branding combined flower power florals in a more refined color palette and a subtle nod to the groovy typography of the 1970s.

Art nouveau elements were common in 1970s rock posters, as in the florals and layout of this design for violinist Maude Powell.

The accordion fold event invitation included subtle nods to the 1970s theme on the front—including Supergraphics-inspired colored lines and black and white photos. A cascade of flower power florals—elevated by a muted color scheme—appeared on the backside of the invitation and peeked out from the front flap when it was first removed from the envelope.

Trippy patterns, groovy text, and art nouveau flourishes on the design for classical vocalist Jessye Norman

To allow guests to bring a “poster” home with them as a memento of the night, the designs were shrunk down to baseball card size and placed at each place setting. As in this design for contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery, musicians were featured on the front along with facts about them on the reverse.

Posters celebrating Laurie Anderson—who appeared as the special guest performer at the event, Dolly Parton, and conductor Xian Zhang

After the event, I used the musician posters to create a coloring book that was offered as a free download to CYSO students and families, allowing the designs—and celebration of women in music—to extend event further.