The rebirth of a local contemporary art institution

Atlanta Contemporary has been part of the fabric of the arts in Atlanta for more than 40 years. Founded by working artists and arts educators as a storefront cooperative, the organizations’ ambitions and influence have grown organically, reflecting the increasing importance of contemporary art in Atlanta itself.

In 2014, Atlanta Contemporary hatched an innovative plan to increase attendance and access to their groundbreaking programming by eliminating entry fees. This was an opportunity to rebrand, rethink, and revitalize every aspect of their operations. We were selected as part of a nationwide search to act as creative partner and execute a complete overhaul of Atlanta Contemporary’s public presence.

Atlanta Contemporary

Atlanta Contemporary is temporarily closed for exhibition installation. Stay tuned to register for August dates, including the opening of She Is Here on August 22 and 23, 2020. Contemporary Dance Free Atlanta Contemporary and Dance Canvas are partnering on a new initiative that provides time and space to dance artists in metro Atlanta.

atlantacontemporary.org

The Rebrand

After a long history as the Nexus Contemporary Arts Center, a rebrand in 2000 to the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center proved to be unwieldy, leading to awkward abbreviations and no clear naming convention. “ACAC,” “The Contemporary,” and even “Nexus” were all still commonly used, leading to brand dilution and lack of awareness. We helped Atlanta Contemporary to simplify and revitalize their identity.

The new mark is succinct, vibrant, and helps establish Atlanta Contemporary as a member of a nationwide community of arts-presenting organizations.

We created both a secondary outline version of the wordmark for when a two-tone variation isn’t achievable and a playful round version of the logo for select collateral like t-shirts and tote bags.

The Website

Atlanta Contemporary’s website is a major tool in their new communications suite. We put the art and events they present front and center, along with clear and friendly messaging about their new free admission and when you can visit.

Exhibitions are a major component of the site. They introduce, promote, and record a key expression of Atlanta Contemporary’s mission. These pages are both clear and playful, welcoming new and old visitors alike.

Familiar was able to give us the whole package—an identity that connects with our history and a website that helps set us apart. — Veronica Kessenich, Executive Director, Atlanta Contemporary

Collateral

At the heart of the new Atlanta Contemporary was the goal to increase attendance by reducing barriers to entry. We worked with the Contemporary to develop a campaign around the rollout of the new initiative. Free admission was a major component of this plan, but so was improving the entrance experience of new visitors, rewarding repeat visits, and codifying style and tone recommendations for communications with the public—everything from exhibition wall text to social media.