Sara Garrison Lucas (‘16 Graphic Design)
It was ten years ago that a Graphic Design senior Sara Garrison Lucas ('16 Graphic Design), hosted a release party at the formerly named H&R Block Artspace for her senior thesis project, Likewise Magazine. She created the publication to bridge the gap between graphic design and fine art, giving herself a reason to network and collaborate with the talented artists around her before graduation. That packed party led to a fellowship at the gallery, sparking a realization that her true passion lay in spatial and experiential design.
The Origins of Likewise
Fast forward a decade, and Sara is back in that exact same gallery. This time, she isn't a student, but the co-founder of her own design studio, Likewise KC, producing The Loopty Loo, a party to mark the close of an exhibition and kick off Alumni Weekend. The collaboration came naturally, when Raechell Smith, Director of the Emily & Todd Voth Artspace, reached out to Sara about being a part of Alumni Weekend in a creative way. The Loopty Loo will turn the gallery into a playful, carnival-inspired celebration to kick off the weekend and bring alumni together.
Before launching her “small-batch studio”, Sara refined her spatial design skills on a massive scale. Starting as a junior designer at Populous, she battled early imposter syndrome, learning that the professional world is an expansion where you learn by doing. Over eight and a half years, she grew alongside her team, eventually leading projects for major civic events.
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to Kansas City, Sara served as the project manager and designer for KC•House. Rather than a standard five-year architectural build, the popup space required an incredibly fast-paced, all-hands-on-deck approach. Yet, she maintained the human connection that KCAI instilled in her. She prioritized local talent, commissioning Kansas City artists, fabricators, and musicians to ensure the world saw the authentic, creative heartbeat of the city.
“It was really cool working in the community with all Kansas City partners. A lot of my projects I'm only on virtual calls with people most of the time and we're across like four different time zones.” Sara said. “We could all meet up in person and have meetings. That was super rewarding and made me want to work even harder on it. We're going to show up and show out what Kansas City has to offer.”
While managing massive projects, Sara's heart remained tied to smaller, more personal creative spaces. She realized that the same care and attention to detail needed for thousands people could make a single room feel truly special.
Seamless, Soulful, and Streamer-Filled
To balance the high-stakes corporate world, Sara returns to her roots with Likewise KC, co-founded with her Populous colleague Mollie Bailey. Their studio focuses on building brand experiences and events that feel "seamless and soulful".
For Sara, that means deeply considering the user experience, ensuring introverts have a quiet craft table while extroverts hit the dance floor, and making sure every visual touchpoint, from posters to bar menus, is perfectly cohesive. It is a demanding balance, relying on shared calendars, mutual respect, and intentional rest to avoid burnout. But for Sara, the reward is found offline, stepping away from the 40-hour computer screen to work with her hands in a studio draped with a dozen colorful streamers.
“Literally this is my happy place. This is my studio," Sara said. "It's so fun to get off the computer and then be like, 'Okay, I'm gonna spend a few hours working with my hands and actually making something."
Sara’s advice to current KCAI students is to use their resources, lean into their network, and never let intimidation hold them back. She remembers feeling like she needed to keep her head down until she felt worthy. Now, she stresses that students already have the talent they need to open doors right away.
Whether she is shaping a global hospitality hub or handcrafting streamers for a local gallery, Sara’s work continues to elevate Kansas City. Her journey proves that the KCAI community is a lifelong network that only grows stronger over time.