Unveiling the Future | The Utica Children's Museum's New Look

The new brand of the museum was created in a unique, innovative way to shine a light on creative workforce development and brought together local arts professionals and high school students. The result is pretty magical!

Meet the Artists Our Rebrand Video

How We Got Here

Our Process

Item # 1
A Call to Artists.

Six students. Six arts professionals. One amazing Create Day where they worked together. The pros presented their personal stories and their work in graphic design, animation, illustration, arts education, and non-profit arts management. The students learned about local colleges where they can pick art majors and get them on track to a great career!
Item # 2
They Toured. They Imagined.

The group was among the first to see the renderings of the new museum and learn about the educational, playful, cultural, and inspiring experiences that visitors will have. Through listening carefully and sketching freely, everyone started to frame what they wanted to contribute artistically to the new brand.
Item # 3
A Collective Co-Creation.

Students worked side-by-side with two different professionals who shared their artistic area of interest. During the Create Session, they interpreted the essence, as well as literal features, of the new museum into a collection of illustrations that would be married together in a dynamic brand identity system.
Item # 4
Our New Branding.

Our marketing team sorted through the drawings then digitized and compiled them into six interchangeable brand marks and an ever-changing brand system that is full of playfulness and joy. The identity is made to move and evolve, and will creatively morph into versions in the future that match themes, fundraisers, special programming, and more.

Meet the Creative Team

We love it when we can create opportunities that bring people together – and our new brand was no exception. Students age 14 to 18 who want to study art in college, make a career in the arts, or just always have art in their life took part. And professionals who have an affinity for working with youth and love their careers joined us as well.