Bandit Lites Supports the Next Generation of Industry Professionals Through Belmont University Showcase Series
Nashville, TN – Bandit Lites continues its long-standing commitment to education and the future of the live entertainment industry through its support of Belmont University Showcase Series, a student-led program designed to provide real-world concert production experience. Through the donation of lighting equipment, resources, and staff time, Bandit Lites proudly supports students as they gain hands-on experience producing professional-level live events.
Funded by Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, the Showcase Series is designed to give students real-world training in all aspects of concert production, showcase Belmont student talent, and build a strong sense of community between students and the music industry. Each school year, student leaders are responsible for planning, organizing, and executing five arena showcases, one outdoor festival-style concert, and four writers’ nights, all run in a professional environment that highlights both musical and technical talent.
Students involved in the Showcase Series gain experience in team leadership, stage design, lighting design, artist management, production management, video production, live sound, publicity, promotion, branding, and performance. What began decades ago as a small operation with a few logistics roles has grown into a large-scale production program involving more than 100 students per year, many of whom are actively working on stage, mixing audio, programming lights, shooting and switching video, and directing the overall creative vision of each show.
The Showcase Series has taken place in a variety of notable venues over the years, including outdoor campus events, Neely Dining Hall, Massey Performing Arts Center, Ryman Auditorium, and Curb Event Center. These experiences give students the opportunity to work in professional environments while still in school, helping prepare them for careers throughout the live entertainment industry.
Over the years, the program has partnered with leading companies and professionals across the entertainment industry to ensure students are learning while producing world-class events. Bandit Lites is proud to be among the production partners who support this program and its mission to prepare students for careers both on stage and behind the scenes.
“Supporting programs like the Belmont Showcase Series is incredibly important to us,” said Mark Butler, Bandit Lites Project Manager overseeing the showcase. “These students are the future of our industry, and giving them real-world experience with professional equipment and production environments helps set them up for long-term success. We are proud to support their creativity, their hard work, and their passion for live events.”
That impact is felt directly by students and leadership within the program. “Bandit’s support has always enhanced the overall production quality of Showcase,” said Claire Kennedy, Lighting Coordinator for the series. “Throughout the season, Bandit is consistently supporting us on the preproduction side, as well as on-site with skilled techs who understand the heart of our learning organization. Getting to work with industry-standard equipment has given us the tools to put on high-level shows and prepares our students to enter the live industry already familiar with top-of-the-line touring gear.”
Kennedy emphasized the hands-on nature of the partnership, noting, “Getting to work with Bandit’s professional-grade lighting equipment and crews prepares Belmont students for real-world careers in such an impactful way. There is no other place where students get these hands-on opportunities to learn what it is really like in the live industry. The Bandit crew is always willing to stop and teach, helping foster the growth of students who are now pursuing careers in lighting.”
She also highlighted the broader educational value of the collaboration. “Our partnership with Bandit has been integral to Belmont’s mission of connecting students with the music industry,” Kennedy added. “Showcase feels like the biggest classroom on campus. It’s so important for student-led productions to have access to industry-level resources and expertise because it allows students to push beyond what a traditional classroom can offer. The best way to learn is by doing, and these opportunities allow students to learn, fail, and grow in a productive and supportive environment.”