Concept Development • Creative Direction • Event Production • Community Engagement

Overview
Harvest Bowls Festival was a community arts and fundraising event that I conceived, designed, and produced from the ground up. The project brought together local organizations, artists, volunteers, and businesses for an evening centered on handmade ceramic bowls, a farm-to-table meal, and a collaborative celebration of the region’s creative and cultural identity. The event sold out, raised $7,000 for local nonprofits, and became a model for community-driven arts programming in the area.

My Role
I served as the creator and project lead, responsible for shaping the vision and executing every major component of the event. This included creative direction, branding, logistics, volunteer coordination, partnership development, and all public-facing communication and storytelling. The event required strategic planning, strong leadership, and the ability to guide a diverse group of contributors toward a unified outcome.

Key Responsibilities

Developed the event concept, theme, and narrative.
Created the visual identity, promotional materials, and written content.
Recruited and coordinated 200 volunteers from local arts groups, schools, and community organizations.
Designed and managed hands-on community workshops to produce more than 500 handmade ceramic bowls.
Led décor design, venue layout, and guest experience planning.
Managed all logistics, including ticketing, food service, scheduling, and onsite operations.
Built marketing strategy and executed all promotion through web, social media, and print.
Established partnerships with nonprofits, local businesses, and donors.
Oversaw day-of production to ensure a seamless guest experience.

Outcomes and Impact

Sold-out event with strong community turnout.
$7,000 raised for local nonprofit organizations.
Significant media attention and positive regional press coverage.
Strengthened collaboration across community groups and built new creative partnerships.
Demonstrated the capacity of arts-driven events to unify, energize, and engage diverse audiences.
Established a replicable model for future creative community fundraising initiatives.

Skills Demonstrated

Creative direction, event design, team leadership, project management, visual storytelling, volunteer management, community engagement, branding, fundraising strategy, communication, and cross-sector collaboration.