Season Poster Design Competition

About Sarah Kurpiel

Sarah Kurpiel is a self-taught picture book author/illustrator from Downers Grove, IL. Her recent books include More than a Tree, Snake’s Big Mistake, and A Little Like Magic, which received the American Library Association’s 2025 Schneider Family Book Award. Inspired by animals, nature, and moments of wonder in everyday life, Sarah hopes her work brings a bit of happiness into the world. During her years working as a librarian, she designed countless signs, flyers, and web graphics, deepening her personal interest in graphic design. Sarah has fond memories of visiting Ravinia with her family and friends.

Ravinia’s annual poster design competition is open to all artists, including students, each fall. The winning artwork is featured as a large-format printed poster and on other products sold in the Ravinia Festival Shop, as well as distributed among hundreds of Chicagoland stores and public spaces as a distinctive signature of the Ravinia season.

Since 1974, the Ravinia Women’s Board has sponsored this annual competition to craft the poster design that will represent the upcoming summer concert season. Over more than 100 years of history, Ravinia has always been a place where nature and music intertwine to create a shared experience that inspires each guest and the world around us.

For over 50 years, the Women’s Board has been heavily involved in fundraising for Ravinia, including as hosts of the annual Gala Benefit Evening, leaders of the Ravinia Festival Shop and Wintrust Chair & Table Rental operations, and creators of two best-selling Noteworthy cookbooks. The board’s work supports Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play^® music education and community engagement programs and Steans Institute professional artist training programs, enhances the beauty of the park with trees and sculptures, and much more!