Hasta La Ideas

Design studio Paperjam has created a flexible, fun identity for the Belfast Children’s Festival which builds on its work for the organising body Young at Art

In November 2014, Paperjam rebranded the Belfast-based not-for-profit Young at Art. The new scheme brought together what were previously three different brands (linked by common typography) under one Y-shaped umbrella. “They wanted to create one visual identity to encompass all three brands identifying all events and festivals as Young at Art endeavours,” Paperjam say.

Old Logo

Old Belfast Children’s Festival logo

New Young at Art brand

The Belfast Children’s Festival this month offered the opportunity to apply the new scheme to one of the organisation’s major projects.

The Belfast Children’s Festival launch took place in the Office of Important Art in Castle Court with a creative area set up for children in the mall. Paperjam’s branding was carried through on stickers, postcards and gift bags as well as festival posters.

The Young at Art staff and volunteers were all dressed on brand wearing T-shirts, aprons, brand colours and party hats.

The scheme does something quite difficult in that it manages to be both stylish and fun. How many projects aimed at children have we seen that either go too “design-ery” and suck out all the energy and verve, or go the other way and overdo the overtly ‘childlike’ references?

Paperjam’s scheme allows for fun applications like this giant Y made of balloons (and the furry version above)

while also having the sophistication to be able to deal with a programme that includes art and theatre, as in these posters. On a practical note, this format also works very well with supplied imagery and the inevitable parade of sponsor logos. I also like the clever use of the stage to create a dark strip out of which to reverse the title and dates and the background patterns