Lincoln, Neb.--When Sydney Peters created CitrusFest, she was motivated by a simple observation: There was no shortage of talented emerging artists, but what many of them lacked was an opportunity to be discovered.
Peters, who earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in emerging media arts from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2023, decided to do something about it and created CitrusFest.
“CitrusFest is a music showcase focused on creating opportunities for emerging artists to perform, connect with industry professionals, and build meaningful relationships,” she said. “This year, I’m most excited to continue growing the event, bringing together new artists and industry professionals, and building on the momentum from our first in-person CitrusFest last year.”
The showcase has grown from an idea Peters launched virtually during the pandemic while she was a student into an in-person event designed to bring together musicians, audiences and music industry professionals. Its purpose extends beyond giving artists a stage.
Peters wants CitrusFest to serve as a place where connections made during a single performance can lead to opportunities long after the event ends.
“I realized CitrusFest needed to exist when I saw how many amazing emerging artists lacked a platform where a community could come together to discover and support them. We got over 100 submissions for CitrusFest in 2020,” she said. “After receiving such great feedback from the original virtual event, I knew I wanted to eventually bring that same idea to life in person. CitrusFest is now an annual event, with this year marking our second annual in-person showcase.”
This year’s event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 1 at The Studio at the Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.
For Peters, the festival reflects a longtime passion for finding artists before they become household names and helping create opportunities for them to grow.
“I’ve always had a passion for discovering new artists and seeing them grow,” she said. “There is so much talent out there that may not always have the platform or opportunities to be seen, so it was important to me to create a space where emerging artists can showcase their talent.”
Even the festival's name has personal roots.
“Citrus was actually a nickname my friends gave me back in grade school, and it just stuck with me over the years,” she said.
CitrusFest has become a major creative and professional undertaking for Peters, who hopes its impact reaches beyond the artists who perform on its stage.
“I hope artists leave CitrusFest with more than just a great performance experience,” she said. “I want them to build genuine relationships with other artists and industry professionals, gain new supporters, and make connections that can continue to open doors for them long after the event is over.”
The experience has also given Peters the opportunity to see firsthand what can happen when an idea moves from concept to reality.
“The most rewarding part has been seeing the idea come to life and hearing how much the experience has meant to the artists and people involved,” Peters said.
As CitrusFest continues to develop, Peters has an ambitious vision for what it can become. While the event has established a home in Dallas, she sees the potential for its influence to extend far beyond one city.
“I hope CitrusFest continues to build a strong community around emerging artists and becomes a place where people are excited to discover and support new talent. In Dallas and beyond, I want it to create more opportunities for artists to connect with the right people, grow their audience, and take the next step in their careers,” she said.
That vision begins with the artists themselves. Peters looks for performers who can connect with an audience while remaining distinctive in a crowded music landscape.
“I look for an artist who can really capture a crowd and create a memorable experience,” she said. “Someone who is unique, authentic, and confident in who they are as an artist is a great fit for CitrusFest.”
Her ability to develop CitrusFest from an idea into a growing annual event also reflects the interdisciplinary, project-based approach that first attracted her to Nebraska's emerging media arts program.
“What first drew me to the Emerging Media Arts program was how creative it was,” Peters said. “I’ve always been interested in different areas of media and entertainment, and the program gave me the opportunity to explore those interests while learning how to turn creative ideas into real projects.”
That opportunity to explore different forms of media and entertainment has continued to influence Peters' career since graduation. In particular, one Nebraska course gave her a closer look at the creative process behind the music industry.
“One class I still think about is the music production class, Sound Lab, which I took at Nebraska,” she said. “It gave me insight into the creative process behind how artists and producers actually make music.”
Since leaving Nebraska, Peters has continued to build experience across multiple areas of the entertainment industry while developing CitrusFest alongside her professional work.
“Since graduating, I’ve continued working in the entertainment industry, gaining experience in live events, artist relations and digital media,” she said. “I also recently started working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, while continuing to grow CitrusFest and finding ways to bring all of my experiences together. CitrusFest remains a major project and passion of mine.”
Those experiences continue to inform her work as CitrusFest's organizer and her understanding of what it takes to create opportunities in an industry where success can take many forms.
“Success for me is seeing CitrusFest continue to grow while creating real opportunities for the artists involved. For the artists, success looks different for everyone, but I hope CitrusFest can be a stepping stone that leads to new fans, meaningful connections, and opportunities that help move their careers forward,” she said.
Her advice for students considering how to turn their own ideas into reality reflects the same philosophy that helped transform CitrusFest.
“My advice would be to ask questions and seek advice from people you trust, but don’t let not having everything figured out stop you from starting,” she said. “Once you take that first step, you’ll learn something new at every stage along the way.”
The ability to turn a creative idea into reality is what stands out about Peters, according to Megan Elliott, the Johnny Carson Endowed Director in Emerging Media Arts.
“Sydney embodies the entrepreneurial spirit we hope to cultivate in our students,” Elliott said. “She saw an opportunity, identified a need and had the vision and determination to turn an idea into CitrusFest, a platform that is creating meaningful opportunities for emerging artists. What is especially impressive is that she isn’t just pursuing her own creative career—she is building something that helps others succeed. That ability to combine creativity, initiative and a genuine desire to create community is exactly the kind of impact we hope our emerging media arts graduates will have."
For more information on this year’s CitrusFest, visit https://www.thecitrusfest.com.
