Weird Kids Academy was an invite-only workshop and party aiming to bring together creatives from across Chicago for an evening of education and fun, and leading to future collaboration. Produced by local community organizer and DJ Mr. West, in collaboration with streetwear brand Kings Without Crowns, and sponsored by Buchanon’s Whiskey (Diageo Brands).
The event was structured like the best school day you’d ever imagine. Attendees showed up for cocktail hour, received their custom gym uniform, and took their yearbook photo with yours truly.
Next, they split into groups and went to their first and second period classes - a graffiti lettering workshop and plant re-potting tutorial. Finally, they had lunch and recess (complete with DJ of course). I was there to capture all the fun.
In shooting the event, I kept multiple uses of the photography in mind. The yearbook photos we wanted to capture for.. you guessed it, a yearbook/’zine that will be released in the future. The sponsors needed some photos to send up the chain of the event and the speciality cocktails, and of course the attendees needed some photos to <3 on instagram.