Arts for Health Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Identity

Arts for Health Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (AFHC) is a charitable organisation that promotes the role of the arts in improving health and well-being. Now involved in a great diversity of projects – from Primary Care to Mental Health, they wanted to reach a wider audience and we were commissioned to design their new brand identity and communication/marketing materials, including quarterly journal and annual report.

The name of the organisation, ‘Arts for Health’, is a bold declaration – much like a campaign statement, and we wanted to apply this same tone of conviction to the communication and marketing materials. To give all applications of the brand a uniform voice, we developed a plain speaking, typographic approach that was coherent and flexible. For example, in the case of the Journal and Annual Report, prefixed with the organisation name, the covers announce the agendas of each: ‘Challenging the culture of care’ (the journal) and ‘2009–2010, a year of delivering excellence in improving health’ (the annual report).

For these publications, similar style statements are continued inside the publications, as headings for the main articles. Our intention was that even a brief flick through the publications would leave no doubt about what AFHC does and represents. To create a cohesive system, both types of publication use an A5 format, chosen for its ease of handling and stitched with looped staples, so issues can be collected within a binder.

We decided to use photographs taken by AFHC as part of their everyday visual diary, rather than professional photography. In selecting these, we wanted to show the close interaction between creative practitioners, health care professionals and patients – which is at the heart of everything AFHC does. These images, of ‘real’ people engaging in creative activities, act to illustrate both the diversity of the projects and their real benefits – and they represent the hands-on personal approach of AFHC.

The application of colour, applied to the logotype and statement in the form of contrasting colour pairs, adds another dynamic, in terms of flexibility and creativity, to AFHC’s communications.

The overall association of the brand focuses on reinforcing the organisation’s mix of professionalism, creativity and approachability. One typeface, Akkurat, is used throughout all materials for its incredible legibility and clear speaking but subtly warm tone.

Through this programme of work we’ve helped raise the profile of AFHC to among the UK’s leading arts and health organisations. And their work to improve health and well-being through creativity has been recognised by two recent awards: winner of The Guardian Public Services Award in 2009 and winner of the GSK King’s Fund IMPACT Award in 2010.

This Project Involved
Brand Positioning
Visual Identity
Guidelines
Stationery
Brochure
Journal
Annual Report
Website

Font

Akkurat by Lineto Type Foundry

Printer

Park Lane Press Limited

Paper

Revive 100 Uncoated, 100% post-consumer recovered material (FSC certification), from Robert Horne Group
Programming
Development and WordPress customisation by Look Systems, Falmouth

Related Projects

Arts for Health Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Website

Arts for Health Cornwall Printed Material

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