Behind The Scenes of One of The Fastest-growing Corporate Entertainment Event Ideas in The Second City
Art of Education University came to CSSP looking for options for corporate entertainment events. After the details were established, CSSP started plans to host a live experiential activation with a clear goal. 300 art teachers are coming to the city of Chicago. 300 teachers needed something worth taking home from Chicago. The result was a live screen printing activation at the Chicago Architecture Center, four custom designs, 300 bags printed on-site, completed in under three hours, with lines forming throughout the evening.
When the Swag Becomes the Event
Most event swag gets forgotten. In order to make your next event unforgettable, you need a piece of swag that creates excitement with your entire team. What Art of Education University wanted was just that, something city-specific, something made in real time, and something cool that guests would actually remember getting.
Live screen printing turns a giveaway into a moment. Interactive experiences can create memorable corporate outings, and live print is one of the few activations where guests are part of the production itself. Guests don’t just receive a bag; they watch it get made, choose their design, and walk away with something that connects directly to the event they attended. For a national gathering of art teachers celebrating their craft in Chicago, this experience landed exactly as the AOE team had hoped.
As Matt, CMO of Art of Education University, put it: “We had customers lined up for the totes we were printing. The custom designs were absolutely phenomenal and everyone walked away excited to have their swag.”
Hosting Unforgettable Events in Chicago from Lincoln Square to Beverly
Unique venues for corporate entertainment events in Chicago can include museums, rooftops, or trendy urban lofts — and the Chicago Architecture Center is exactly that kind of space. Corporate events can feature a variety of entertainment options to suit different themes and audiences. Team building activities can foster collaboration and improve workplace relationships, and a live screen printing activation gives your group something to do together that they’ll actually remember.
Custom Screen Printed Tote Bags for AOE University
We printed on tote bags, and guests got to choose one of four designs. Standardizing on one item keeps production moving at full speed and eliminates the workflow interruptions that come with swapping between garment types mid-event. Guests got variety through design choice, not product complexity.
Each design was Chicago-specific, built for this event and this city. When the audience is art teachers at a national team event, the artwork has to hold up. Generic clip art isn’t going to generate lines. These designs did. Three hundred bags. Three hours. Zero left at the end of the night.
Sarah Webster from Art of Education University captured it directly: “We had 4 awesome designs, printed 300 bags — they got through all 300 in 3 hours — everybody is super happy and they are going to be talking about it for a year to come.”
Get Involved in the printmaking process at a Corporate Event
On-Site Screen Printing at Corporate Events
The art of printmaking is a seldom-seen process that usually happens behind closed doors without a second thought. Live print at corporate events is different; it brings screen printing straight to businesses and the community. Our equipment travels, we set up at any venue, and perform under event conditions, ambient noise, occasionally live music, limited space, and guests cycling through continuously.
CSSP runs a single press at 60–70 prints per hour for single-color designs. For the AOE event, that throughput meant every guest left with a bag. Not most guests, every guest.
That kind of result doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from production planning and a professional live event team with enough experience to know what can go wrong before it does. CSSP has produced live activations for Espolon Tequila, The Chi production wrap party at Guinness Flagship Brewery, and dozens of corporate and brand events across Chicago and the region. The Art of Education activation added another clean execution to that record.
Live Printing at the Chicago Architecture Center on the Magnificent Mile
Live Print Activations at Chicago Venues: From your Business Office, to Wrigley Field
The Chicago Architecture Center isn’t a generic event space. It’s one of the city’s landmark cultural venues — a fitting backdrop for a national conference of art educators. When the venue has that kind of identity, the activation has to match it.
City-specific designs printed live at a Chicago landmark, for a national audience of people who came here to celebrate their profession, that’s a combination that creates real event energy. It’s also the kind of setup that photographs well and generates the word-of-mouth the client described afterward.
If you’re planning a corporate party at a Chicago venue and want an activation that fits the space and the audience, we are just the professionals you want to make your event a success.
Why Brands and Organizations Choose CSSP for Live Print
Live screen printing isn’t a niche service anymore. Corporate event planners, conference organizers, and brand activation teams have made on-site printing a standard consideration for any event where guest experience matters. The question isn’t whether to offer it — it’s who can actually execute it successfully, on schedule, in a venue they’ve never been in before.
CSSP brings all equipment, pre-burned screens, and experienced printers to every activation. Setup requires a dedicated 20-amp outlet and approximately 100–150 square feet. We handle everything from load-in to breakdown, so your event team can focus on the program. Branded configurations are available for agencies and event production companies managing the activation on behalf of a client.
The Art of Education University activation is one of dozens of live print events we’ve produced across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. If you’re sourcing a live print vendor for your next private party or corporate event, contact us to discuss your project. If you want to hear from more brands who’ve run activations with us, our reviews are a good place to start.
FAQ: Live Screen Printing for Corporate Entertainment Events
- How many pieces can CSSP print at a live corporate entertainement events?
- A single press runs at 60–70 prints per hour for single-color designs. For the AOE Art Conference, we completed 300 bags in approximately 3 hours. Events requiring more can add presses — two presses double capacity, and so on.
- Can attendees choose from multiple designs at the event?
- Yes. Each press accommodates up to 4 single-color designs, and guests select their preferred artwork at the station.
- What items can be printed live?
- Tote bags, t-shirts, hoodies, drawstring bags, bandanas, and other flat-printable items all work well for live activations using screen printing, heat press, or embroidery. The right product depends on your event format, budget, and audience. We’ll help you choose what makes sense for your specific event rather than defaulting to whatever’s easiest to print.
- How much space and power does a live print setup need?
- A standard CSSP setup fits in 100–150 square feet and requires a dedicated 20-amp outlet. We handle all transport, setup, and breakdown. If your venue has specific load-in requirements or space constraints, let us know early, and we’ll plan around them.
- Do you handle live print for events outside Chicago?
- Yes. CSSP serves Illinois, Northwest Indiana, and Southeast Wisconsin. We’ve produced activations in Chicago, the suburbs, and regional markets across the Midwest. Contact us with your event location, and we’ll confirm coverage and logistics.
