Cherokee County Arts Council Unveils New Brand Identity By Grant Design Collaborative
20 March 2009 - Grant Design Collaborative recently partnered pro bono with a local non-profit organization, the Cherokee County Arts Council, to craft a cohesive branding identity and strategy. The strategic brand campaign features a highly adaptable format that broadens the organization’s awareness within the community and promotes new membership investment. Creation of the new identity program includes an extensive range of visual identity elements that can be applied to collateral materials, advertising and other promotional items to develop a dynamic, contemporary brand. A recent launch of the new brand to board members met with a very positive response. “We are excited about the range of possibilities for this new brand identity. It’s simple and elegant but still offers a huge amount of flexibility,” says Board of Directors President Tommy Justice.

Perhaps most notably, the new brand identity includes a name change to the “Cherokee Arts Center.” The brand name development was designed to reduce any community confusion between the organization and its flagship facility. According to Dianne Langston, the Center’s Executive Director, “There has been a lot of confusion for many years between Cherokee County Arts Council and Cherokee County Arts Center. People often ask if we’re a quasi-governmental organization that is fully funded by city and county government or an organization with membership that supports our activities. The name change helps greatly in clarifying those issues. We are a membership-based community resource, and we need as many new members as possible to advance the arts in Cherokee County.” In addition to the new name, Grant Design Collaborative developed a dynamic new logotype and mark. The mark features a circle with an A that points to the center to depict how the Cherokee Art Center places Art at the center of the community. In addition, the symbol will be applied at different angles as an arrow for wayfinding. Messaging elements were also created to enhance awareness of the Center’s programs and events. Slogans such as “Art is Here!” will be employed to increase awareness for both the center and the availability of art in Cherokee County.

This launch marks the latest in a series of brand strategy projects that Grant Design Collaborative has developed for local Cherokee county organizations and businesses since relocating to Downtown Canton in 1996. Grant’s other local brand design initiatives have included the City of Canton, Cherokee Family Violence Center, Historic Canton Homeowners’ Association, Fringe Artful Goods and Goin’ Coastal Seafood Joint. Company President and Creative Director Bill Grant states, “Grant Design Collaborative believes strongly in the importance of giving back to the local community, as well as in the transformative power of good design for any organization – from the smallest non-profit to the largest corporation. We are honored and privileged to work with local businesses and organizations to advance their brand and grow their businesses in such a challenging economic climate.”