Open Studios Cornwall Event Identity and Marketing Material

Open Studios Cornwall is an annual ten-day event where artists from across Cornwall open their studios to the public.

With the strapline 'Artists across Cornwall throw open their doors', a key requirement of the brief was to signal the event as open to all: a way to experience a huge variety of original artwork outside of the gallery environment, and an excellent opportunity for the public to interact with artists.

We felt that the event should also speak louder and be more celebratory than in previous years – to raise its profile and highlight it as an important event in the arts calendar. With this in mind, we set out to create a single, uniting identity that embraces all disciplines, from painters to digital artists. The 'O' letterform / circle was chosen as a simple, easily recognisable and positive symbol – with which the public would quickly become familiar, so building awareness of the event in its run-up. The choice of florescent orange was in response to the client’s request that the posters (which the artists distribute in their locality) maintain visibility against a rural backdrop of stone cob walls, bushes and trees. Once the event was underway, the florescent circles acted as bold signposts to the studios – 'open to all'.

The success of this programme of work is reflected by a report of the 2007 and 2008 events carried out by Creative Skills:

Visitor numbers to the event were up from 2,100 in 2006 to nearly 10,000 in 2008. And, revenue from sales of artworks at the event have increased from £17,500 in 2006 to £42,500 in 2008.

Font

ITC Avant Garde

Printing

APB Colour Print Limited, Bristol

Paper

Regency Satin, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper from Howard Smith Paper

Related projects

Open Studios Cornwall printed materials