Heart and Soul: KCAI Students Shape Branding for AIGA KC’s 20th Annual Design Awards
06.09.2025
The AIGA KC Design Awards—also known this year as A20—serve to recognize exceptional design work created in the greater Kansas City area.
To mark the milestone 20th year, the organization partnered with KCAI Graphic Design students to develop a distinctive new branding package.
A20—hosted by the Kansas City chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts—celebrates outstanding creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship across a range of design disciplines, from branding and illustration to digital and experiential design. The event highlights regional talent and emerging designers, aiming to strengthen and connect the local professional design community.
The original winning A20 Design Awards concept came from a small group of KCAI Graphic Design students: Amanda Michael, Malachi Mitchell, Olivia Steffano, and Maddy Dreyer. Once AIGA KC selected their direction, the full class of 10 students collaborated to bring the final branding to life.
Heart and Soul
Brittany Alkhatib, Chair of the Gala and Competition Committee on the AIGA KC Board, called the color palette bold—bright red, blue, and pink (“Which can be tricky, but they made it work”). One of their favorite elements was on the title slide: the blue pieces in the background were actual paper cutouts that the students created by hand, scanned, and then digitized, noting that tactile, hands-on detail added a lot of depth.
The theme for A20 is “Heart and Soul.” The event will take place at the Zhou B Art Center, a new cultural institution in the Jazz District that opened last June. AIGA KC encouraged students to visit the venue and draw inspiration from the vibrant energy and history of the neighborhood.
“There were also shapes that resembled instruments—like a piano or scissors—that connected back to the jazz and design themes. It didn’t feel too on-the-nose, which we appreciated. The students were confident, enthusiastic, and clearly inspired by the project,” Alkhatib said.
"Like a Jazz Solo"
Chandler Johnson, President of AIGA KC, said the design reminded him—and others—of the Monsters Inc. opening credits: eclectic, vibrant, but with an old-school charm.
“The students really nailed that vibe,” Johnson said. “The design had this improvisational, electric quality—like a jazz solo. That’s a perfect metaphor for creativity in design: a bit spontaneous, yet deeply skilled and expressive.”
Johnson credited the students by saying that once a direction was chosen, the whole class came together to build out the final materials. “It wasn’t just the winning team—it became a collective effort. Now we’ve got this robust, versatile look we can use across our marketing for the event.”
Team Effort
tyler galloway, Professor and Joyce C. Hall Chair of Graphic Design, described the project as a rare opportunity to take on a dream assignment: creating a contest identity about design, for designers—and especially for students.
“it was great fun to have the aiga board members present to kick off the project, provide process feedback, and see the final reveal. it was a very collaborative and positive experience all around, and the students each did a great job of contributing in their own way,” galloway said.
“i'm proud of all of them and super excited for them to see their work out in the public at the gala, and live on in the awards catalog that will be given to all of the attendees,” he said.
AIGA KC is also encouraging students and local freelancers to participate in the upcoming A20. Chandler mentions that the competition offers an affordable entry fee for students, providing an accessible platform to gain exposure and connect with the wider design community.
Submissions must feature work created during or after January 2024. Entrants are advised to submit each piece in the category that most accurately reflects its purpose. While it is possible to enter the same work in multiple categories, separate fees apply for each entry, and a single piece can only win one award. Judges retain the authority to reclassify entries to ensure they fit the appropriate category.
Click here for more information about the call for entries.
Deadlines:
- General Entry Deadline: Friday, June 13, 2025, 11:59 p.m. CT
- Late Entries Entry Deadline: Friday, June 20, 2025, 11:59 pm CT (late fees apply)
- Final Call Entry Deadline: Friday, June 27, 2025, 11:59 pm CT (additional late fees apply)