Bard on the Beach logo

Bard on the Beach just unveiled a fresh new visual brand, inspired by both its legendary Shakespearean roots and the way the Vancouver theatre organization is seen and valued by the community today.

The comprehensive rebranding project was made possible through an exciting new partnership between Bard and award-winning Vancouver graphic design and branding agency, Carter Hales Design Lab.

The two companies worked together to develop a new look that grows out of extensive research and exploration into how the 29-year-old festival is perceived by its own fans and followers as well as by the larger local community and beyond.

As You Like It Macbeth, Bard on the Beach
[Lindsey Angell & Nadeem Phillip, As You Like It; Moya O’Connell & Ben Carlson, Macbeth. Photos by David Cooper]

Guided by that research and feedback, the Carter Hales team designed a refreshed look for the summer Festival and for its year-round Educational division, including a new logo and sub-logos, new season materials and changes to the Bard website and its social media spaces. 

The core of the new design concept is a silhouette representing Bard’s iconic theatre tents, where almost 1.7 million patrons have been entertained over the past three decades.

The concept evokes the unique Bard experience of being in a spectacular natural environment, moving easily from inside to outside spaces, mingling with fellow patrons while enjoying outstanding live theatre and special events.

Bard on the Beach Education

“It’s been exciting to drill down into what it is about Bard that makes it beloved in this city, and how to convey that to people who haven’t yet discovered the unique Bard experience. We also wanted to create a design system to express all the ways Shakespeare’s work is interpreted and produced by Bard’s talented team. Our research and every design discovery we made led us to the tent, its iconic location and the performances inside it.” — Sean Carter, Director of Design, Carter Hales

According to Bard’s Artistic Director Christopher Gaze, “Bard has survived and thrived by knowing when to hold fast to what works, and when to change and renew to stay relevant and exciting. Our visual brand had served us well for many years, but wasn’t fully representative of what we offer today to our existing and to future patrons. I’m excited by this new design – it’s an imaginative, elegant reflection of the essence of Bard.”

Check out Bard’s new look online. The rebrand is set to expand into print materials and signage in the months leading up to the summer Festival’s 29th season.

No Comments

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.