Eric San, known on stage as Kid Koala, mixed a mellow track in the E. William Doty Fine Arts Building while students quietly spread across the room, some sketching or writing while others simply listened. The “Music To Draw To” event, hosted by Texas Performing Arts on Friday, invited attendees to unwind, immerse in their projects and escape the daily rush with the help of San’s curated soundscapes.

The concept behind “Music To Draw To” emerged in 2009 when San, working on his second graphic novel, faced seven months of solitary desk time. Inspired by his friends in Montreal — artists, animators and writers — he imagined a communal space where creatives could gather and work in peaceful solidarity. What began as a local experiment has since become a global series, offering spaces for quiet reflection and shared inspiration.

Tim Rogers, director of education and engagement for Texas Performing Arts, saw the event as a timely opportunity for students dealing with midterm stress. 

“Everyone’s busy; it’s a stressful time of year and everything,” Rogers said. “I’m drawing a sunrise with a tree right now. I don’t normally do that, so it’s nice.” 

Known more for hip-hop scratching and playing at clubs and festivals, San said he was drawn to the idea of using music to cultivate a different atmosphere.

“I realized there’s this other function of music, another style of DJing, where it’s not about getting a dance floor going but about keeping people in a creative zone,” San said. “Those first few times in Montreal, I remember thinking, ‘Wow.’ It was just buzzing.”

Art education sophomore Adelina Hernandez said the event proved a refreshing way to engage with her creative process outside of the traditional classroom setting.

“A lot of times things can be very overstimulating, especially when you’re in a fine arts-centric classroom,” Hernandez said. “I was hoping coming here and hearing the music would relax me a lot more.”

Rogers said that integrating the campus and community in new ways proves a key goal of Texas Performing Arts.

“Finding opportunities for people outside of coming to a show or paying for something, being able to have some interaction with us, do something artistic and have that be a positive part of their university experience — amongst everything else that happens at the university — is something that we are constantly trying to figure out how to do,” Rogers said. 

Hernandez said she found the event an ideal setting to unwind and explore personal projects without pressure. 

“I’m working on a personal project right now,” Hernandez said. “It’s something new that I’m trying out, and I was hoping that in this space, it would kind of make me keep doing it.” 

San said that events like “Music To Draw To” highlight how creativity is as much about the journey as the end result.

“In art, it’s about exploring how to combine all the things you love and focusing on enjoying the work, enjoying the process,” San said.