Providence ¡CityArts! For Youth

A Noble Mission

Free arts education for the under-privileged youth of Providence, RI

In my senior design class, my team and I partnered with ¡CityArts! This volunteer-run organization lacked a solidified brand identity, and we were determined to help. Our mission was to craft a powerful brand that would resonate with their audience and propel them forward.

We began by developing a strong brand foundation, culminating in its introduction through their 2018 annual report. The following images showcase some of the design deliverables I contributed to during our six-month collaboration with ¡CityArts!

Defining The Brand

The ¡CityArts! logo had been around for years, and was the organizations most recognizable asset. Unfortunately the team only had one version of it. This particular file was a jpg (the horror!) and featured red text on a white background. Not very versatile.

Luckily, while we were poking around the studio for inspiration we came across an old bumper sticker. It was high quality print, so we scanned it, vectorized it, and recreated the mark in a vareity of layouts so the team could have options for how to best display their brand in different contexts.

The original bumper sticker we found in the studio. I scanned this at an absurd resolution so I could clean up and vectorize it.

Showcasing the Brand - 2018 Annual Report

The culmination of our efforts came with the 2018 annual report, a 20-page showcase of ¡CityArts! impact within the community. This comprehensive document highlighted the non-profit's achievements, including classes provided, inspiring stories, and testimonials from the previous year.

Armed with this powerful new brand identity, the ¡CityArts! team embarked on a fundraising campaign, targeting community members, city officials, and private investors. The annual report served as a compelling tool to secure funding for improved classes, expanded services, and an even greater impact on the community.

I attended a variety of classes and events while working with ¡CityArts! to capture all of the photographs you're seeing used in these spreads.

What A Wonderful Experience

This project wasn't just about creating a brand; it was about empowering a community arts organization. Witnessing the joy of the children in Providence during our on-site visits was truly heartwarming. Many came from underfunded public schools, and their ¡CityArts! classes were a beacon of creative expression. From painting and crafting to sculpting and dance, these classes were a highlight of their day, as well as mine.