Columbia Students Bring Arts in the Dark to Life

Students in associate professor Lisa Gonzales’ Big Chicago class "Carnival Arts: Chicago Stories" rehearse for the parade. Lisa Gonzales’ Big Chicago class "Carnival Arts: Chicago Stories" rehearses for the parade.
Students in Lisa Gonzales’ Big Chicago class "Carnival Arts: Chicago Stories" rehearse for the parade.
Students in associate professor Lisa Gonzales’ class rehearse for the parade.
Students in associate professor Lisa Gonzales’ class rehearse for the parade.
Students work on masks for the parade.Students in Taylor Hokanson's "Big Chicago: Haunted Stockyards" class work on masks for the parade.
Students work on masks for the parade.
Students work on masks for the parade.
Students work on masks for the parade.
Taylor Hokanson, an associate professor in Columbia’s School of Visual Arts, shows a work in progress—one of three 12-foot-tall illuminated lantern puppets being created for the parade. Taylor Hokanson, an associate professor in Columbia’s School of Visual Arts, shows a work in progress—one of three 12-foot-tall illuminated lantern puppets being created for the parade.
Taylor Hokanson, an associate professor in Columbia’s School of Visual Arts, shows a work in progress—one of three 12-foot-tall illuminated lantern puppets being created for the parade.
Students across disciplines are creating puppets, masks, costumes, performances, and more for the Oct. 24 parade and official afterparty.

Across ÌÀ²»ÈÈÊÓƵ, students are preparing to take their creativity from the classroom to the streets. From towering illuminated puppets and wearable architecture to masks, costumes, performances, and a haunted house, their projects are helping bring the Halloween Parade and its official afterparty to life. 

More than 150 Columbia students are preparing to participate under the theme “Don’t Dream It, Be It,” a nod to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” with contributions from across the college. 

The free, family-friendly parade takes place Saturday, Oct. 24, from 6 to 8 p.m., traveling north on Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive to Monroe Street. Columbia also hosts the official afterparty.

Produced by LUMA8 and now in its 12th year, Arts in the Dark celebrates Halloween as the “artist’s holiday,” bringing together Chicago’s cultural organizations, youth arts programs, and artists. Organizers anticipate more than 100,000 spectators. 


Video produced by School of Film and Television Dean Wen-Hwa Ts’ao and students. 

“Arts in the Dark gives our students an opportunity to bring what they’re learning into the city and create something together across disciplines,” says Taylor Hokanson, an associate professor in Columbia’s School of Visual Arts who also serves as the college’s official “Minister of Fun” and organizes its Arts in the Dark participation. “From the masks to the performances, their work will show the imagination and collaboration that make Columbia such a vibrant part of Chicago’s arts community.” 

Bringing Ideas to Life 

A $12,000 Illinois Arts Council grant supports Columbia’s parade participation, including three 12-foot-tall illuminated lantern puppets. The puppets are part of a larger mix of masks, costumes, and performances developed through Columbia’s Big Chicago course. 

“The process has been really fun and interesting,” says Riley Johnson, a junior Fine Arts major helping create part of a coyote costume. “I’m excited to see how the crowd reacts to our work and that I get to share in a fun community experience with them.” 

Interior architecture students are transforming famous Chicago buildings into “wearable architecture of light,” creating illuminated, three-dimensional structures to wear in the parade. Students in the School of Fashion are designing a parade costume for Columbia’s President and CEO Shantay N. Bolton, PhD. Columbia’s Renegades dance team is also taking part. 

The Museum of Contemporary Photography is joining Filter Photo, Latitude Chicago, and other partners in the parade’s “,” inviting photographers of all experience levels to capture the celebration for a digital exhibition. 

A Preview in Poetry 

Before parade night, Columbia hosts a special media preview on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Ferguson Lecture Hall, 600 S. Michigan Ave. Each participating parade group introduces its plans through a haiku, offering a glimpse of the artists, organizations, and ideas coming to Columbus Drive. 

The Celebration Continues on Campus 

The celebration continues at the official on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7 to 11 p.m. at Columbia’s Student Center, 754 S. Wabash Ave. 

Members of CTAS (Created to Achieve Success), a student organization that helps peers access textbooks and course materials, are preparing a haunted house with support from the School of Business and Entrepreneurship. Other activities include a photobooth with takeaway prints, a live speed-painting battle, and music from Columbia’s student DJ club. 

, led by David Antognoli, associate professor of game design, features indie games by Columbia alums, faculty, and other Chicago artists. Visitors can try Halloween-themed games and games with unconventional controllers, including a television remote and a yoga block players squeeze to catch falling fruit. 

The free, all-ages afterparty welcomes parade participants, spectators, and community members. Registration is required for entry. 

 

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