Music is Art Festival
Event Type: One-Day Multi-Stage Music, Art & Dance Festival
Attendance: 20,000+
Stages & Installations: 21+
Vendors, Artists, & Bands: 100+ Bands | 50+ Artists | Dozens of Vendors
Role: Event Coordinator & Logistics Lead
Executive Summary
As a core member of the production team for the Music is Art Festival, I helped produce Buffalo’s largest celebration of local music, visual art, and dance—an immersive, 12-hour cultural experience that drew over 20,000 attendees in a single day.
This free, community-powered festival serves as a signature fundraiser for the nonprofit Music is Art, advancing music education, youth outreach, and creative expression throughout Western New York. I served as the primary logistics lead, overseeing vendor relations, artist coordination, and operational systems across 21 stages and activation zones.
My Role: Festival Architect & Operations Leader
This complex, community-driven event required precision, creativity, and real-time problem-solving. I served as the central hub for dozens of stakeholders, managing:
Artist & Entertainment Coordination: Acted as the main point of contact for over 100 bands and 50 visual artists, scheduling performances and installations across 21 zones.
Logistical Planning: Oversaw critical infrastructure needs, including power distribution, equipment rentals, permitting, and coordination with city officials.
Vendor Management: Maintained communication with local vendors and food trucks to ensure a smooth footprint and compliance with event policies.
Stage & Area Operations: Assisted with scheduling and support across multiple stages, ensuring tight timing and seamless transitions for acts and workshops.
Administrative Oversight: Maintained detailed records of payments, vendor contracts, logistics checklists, and city compliance documentation—enabling smooth post-event reporting and audit trails.
Challenges Overcome
Coordinating a free, donation-supported arts festival across 21 zones in one day demanded agility, foresight, and calm under pressure. Key challenges included:
High-Density Scheduling: Delivered a balanced performance schedule across 100+ acts without overlap, conflict, or downtime.
Power & Permit Logistics: Navigated city infrastructure requirements to ensure safe and stable electric supply for performances, lighting, and vendor operations.
Artist Expectations: Balanced the creative needs of musicians, dancers, and visual artists while adhering to space and time constraints.
Public Safety & Footprint: Worked with public agencies to manage a 20,000-person crowd across indoor and outdoor areas with limited ingress/egress.
Measurable Results & Impact
20,000+ Attendees in a single day
100+ Local Bands and musical acts featured
50+ Visual Artists showcased installations and live work
21 Performance Stages & Areas managed across the festival grounds
Expanded Visibility & Donations for the Music is Art nonprofit and its programs
Why This Work Matters
Festivals like Music is Art aren't just entertainment—they're engines for creative economy, youth engagement, and civic pride. My work ensured that this massive, multi-faceted event ran safely, smoothly, and with integrity to its mission.
The ability to coordinate dozens of creatives, vendors, and government agencies within a tight timeline and nonprofit budget demonstrates my capability to lead mission-aligned cultural events that deliver both community impact and logistical excellence.