Essence Music Festival Poster '99

Designed by Texas artist Evita Tezeno for the fifth Essence Music Festival in 1999, "Big Band" celebrates Black music, heritage, community, and creativity. The poster shows a Black band and captures the vibrant musical vibe of New Orleans while highlighting the rich history of Black musical expression in a contemporary way. It also marked a turning point in Tezeno’s art style, showing how the festival serves as an important space for cultural connection and freedom for Black artistic expression.