If you traveled down Main Street in downtown Kansas City last spring, you saw a colorful poster hanging at every stop along the new streetcar’s two-mile route. The commemorative streetcar poster was a partnership between the Streetcar Authority and Kansas City Art Institute’s Sponsored Studio and MICRO Agency, a KCAI class that functions as a design studio/advertising agency. Junior Madison Crabtree’s design, which features iconic KC landmarks like the Western Auto sign and Union Station, was chosen from six entries. The Kansas City native is thrilled with the exposure this project is giving her.
“It’s my first real break as a student. I’ve never really had my work out there — it’s kind of surreal actually,” said Crabtree.
Sponsored Studio is a program that benefits businesses across Kansas City by connecting them with the creative talents of KCAI students. The projects are diverse and require a wide range of disciplines and approaches to help with research and development or fulfill a business’s creative need. The students have designed wrapped MINIs for the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Kansas City, banners for Lead Bank and awards for the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Alley.
Some projects, like the medical illustration partnership with Children’s Mercy Hospital, are making a real difference in people’s lives. Students from KCAI’s first course on biomedical visualization were tasked with making illustrations that explained medical procedures to illiterate and non-English speaking patients. They are an important tool to help patients understand everything from blood draws to surgeries.
The instructor, Stan Fernald, a research associate at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said he is excited about the potential of linking KCAI with Kansas City’s burgeoning biotechnology sector. According to Fernald, “The No. 1 goal of all medical illustration is to convey abstract technical concepts to a public that may not know very much about the topic. It’s exciting to work with students to produce solutions for real-world applications, communication that goes beyond language and cultural barriers.
Another Sponsored Studio venture, designing a racing wheel for Weld Racing, offered practical experience in highly marketable skills. The Virtual Sculpture Design class was challenged to build a directional, on-spoke wheel for Weld Racing that not only looked impressive, but also met engineering specifications. It required designer, student Noah Geiger, to learn about computer-aided design (CAD) and finite element analysis (FEA). In the end, students learn how to work with real clients and develop practical experience in highly marketable skills.
“We are proud to be involved with educational endeavors like this that support the arts and education of young people who we hope will someday join our industry,” said Norm Young, president and CEO of Weld Racing.
For students, the real-world experience from these class projects makes a difference in their future careers. Students have gone on to jobs at Sprint’s new in-house advertising agency, Coterie Theater and other local and national companies.
Rosie Ruzicka (’15 illlustration), has worked at Sprint’s in-house agency, Yellow Fan Studios, since March. “When I graduated from KCAI, I felt I had a leg-up because of the experience I had. I was really well-prepared because the core focus of the curriculum is to work fast, be a producer and have a good attitude. We learned teamwork and how it’s more about successful collaboration than your individual style.”
“Sponsored Studio projects help us meet some of the vital professional objectives we have for our students. These projects build on our existing relationships in the KC community, assisting students to step outside the studio environment and into the business world,” said David Terrill, assistant professor of illustration and leader of MICRO. “Students collaborate with peers and faculty, work with clients, formally present their designs to the client/community, while creatively solving business problems utilizing their talents and skills. These projects engage them to meet their full potential and prepare them for professional careers.”
The fees companies pay to participate in a Sponsored Studio project directly impact the college and the students. Fifty percent of the fee goes to the students working on the project, in the form of a scholarship. The remaining 50 percent supports the college’s operating costs through it’s general scholarship program and the Annual Fund. The program costs vary and are based on the scope of the project.
To learn more about Sponsored Studio and how it can benefit your business, please contact Randy Williams, senior director of corporate development at 816-802-3527 or email sponsoredstudio@kcai.edu.
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–Kathy St. Clair
Photos courtesy of Kansas City Art Institute
