McKenna Palooza 2019

Case study

Approached by Claremont McKenna College to return for another year to produce the second edition of the university's largest on-campus concert of the year, Kingdom of Mind worked with the administration and student government to build upon the 2018 edition of the McKenna Palooza festival. This time, the administration pledged to donate a fixed amount for every student in attendance to further bolster enthusiasm and impact for the now annual campus tradition.

Overview

Overseeing the project management and production of the benefit concert, KOM engaged talent and vendors and created a unique pyramid-shaped LED video wall production design that made a splash on campus. With a promise to get the most production value out of the budget, the project was delivered within its baselines and generated thousands of dollars for the school’s charity partner, the JED Foundation.

Services Provided:

Project Management, Production Management, Talent Buying, Artist Relations Management

Circumstance

In the month leading up to the event, two students at the university passed away. As the community grappled with the pain of the loss, all on-campus events and programming were canceled - until McKenna Palooza.

The benefit concert acted as the medium for the students to rally behind, with all proceeds donated to the JED Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to emotional health in young adults.

Challenges

A Grieving Community How can this event help the community heal?
SensitivityWhat can be done to execute the project sensitively? What stakeholders need to be addressed?
IterationHow can this edition of the project build and improve upon the previous McKenna Palooza festival?

Solutions:

Purpose

The JED Foundation, a non-profit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide in young adults, was named the charity partner. The community opted to cancel all other on-campus programming until the festival fundraiser - rallying behind a shared cause.

Communication

After debriefing the situation with the client, KOM communicated with vendors and talent with transparency so that all involved were aware of recent events - many of those involved with the show opted to donate their fees to the JED Foundation in support.

Lessons Learned

Lessons learned from McKenna Palooza 2018 were referenced and applied when planning the 2019 edition, including shifting the time of day of the event and the site layout.