A bold new art space

The Calder is the new contemporary art space from The Hepworth Wakefield, occupying part of a 19th Century former textile mill on the site. The initial restoration work on the mill created an impressive, 600 sq m space, designed to host more contemporary art exhibitions. The space and programme were designed to appeal especially to a younger audience compared to the general Hepworth visitor base. Our challenge was to create a name and identity that would work for this demographic, while not alienating the existing Hepworth visitor group.

Our approach

We worked closely with the team at The Hepworth Wakefield to devise the name, visual identity and launch campaign for The Calder. The typographic visual approach uses heavy caps to help to articulate the remit and attitude of the new space with bold, challenging statements. The brand has been brought to life across signage, uniforms, printed publications and marketing material both on and offline, which culminated in a hugely successful launch party in August 2013.

Striking identity

The result was an impactful identity for this impressive addition to the Yorkshire art scene. The opening party saw 750 people attend, including national press, and since launch, visitor numbers have been well in excess of target projections. Hollie Latham, Head of Marketing and Communications, said:

“We needed an identity that works alongside what we already had, but that is distinctive enough to appeal to a much wider audience – predominantly younger. It’s early days but so far so good – that’s exactly what we’ve got.”