DCAD student designs winning poster for World Cafe Live at The Queen

March 28th 2011

The Delaware College of Art and Design is pleased to announce Brett Robinson of New Castle, a second-year Graphic Design student, has designed the winning poster to announce World Cafe Live’s April 1 grand opening. The contest was open to DCAD’s second-year Graphic Design students in the Graphic Design II course, taught by John Breakey, DCAD Area Coordinator of Graphic Design.

Mr. Robinson was awarded first place. DCAD students Kasheem Black of Wilmington and Sandra Gichuhi of Nairobi, Kenya, were named the finalists. All three students will graduate from DCAD in May.

Of the 18 students who participated, the judges felt Robinson’s design best promoted the grand opening of the new venue while still answering the assignment’s question of how to express what live music sounds like to someone who cannot hear.

Mr. Robinson said in researching The Queen Theatre and World Café Live he decided to focus on the façade of the theatre itself, specifically the front area and the marquee. He also incorporated music notes which were put in after he worked on another design for the contest. He said he really enjoyed the poster project, which was first assigned in February. Winners were selected March 21.

“The project gave a lot of insight of how it would be to work in the real world,” he said. “It was neat to work for a real client and we had to think about deadlines and having our own input in the final product.”

Mr. Robinson said he was excited to be picked for the top three and didn’t think his design would win.

“A lot of my classmates had really good designs,” he said.

As the winner of the contest, Mr. Robinson’s design will be blown up to hang in World Cafe Live at The Queen for its grand opening Friday, April 1. The other designs will be hung as well for visitors to see.

A graduate of William Penn High School, Mr. Robinson hopes to continue his education at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., upon graduating from DCAD in May. He aims to earn his bachelor’s in graphic design and eventually own and operate a design firm.

Article and photos by Jessica Sturgis, DCAD Director of Communications