New York, NY

Young Audiences New York

Building on a tradition Young Audiences New York places visual and performing artists in under-resourced New York City public school classrooms.

They sponsor a wide range of residencies, performances, family activities, and hands-on pre-professional workshops at schools and in neighboring communities.

YANY asked us to rethink their identity and communication materials to better reflect their approach — informative, exciting, inclusive, instructive, and inspirational.

View more projects in Advocacy and Cause-Related
Our first recommendation: They keep the distinctive (and groundbreaking) "yellow sun" logo. It was created in the early 1970s by legendary designer Ivan Chermayeff, and it has served the organization well over the years.

It's simple, it's classic, and it has equity; We don't believe in change for the sake of change. Our only action was to refine the typography, which had been modified a number of times over the years.
However, a logo alone does not an identity make. We introduced a distinctive collaged approach as the foundation for the new visual program, built around a series of large handmade "A" shapes (representing Art for All Children).

Artwork created by students would be incorporated into the collages.

We created a style guide showing how to build the individual “A” collages and insert student-generated artwork.
This results in an identity that is never exactly the same, but one in which all pieces feel as if they are coming from the same place.

The identity elements applied to advertising, communication, and fundraising materials.

Program brochures for an annual fundraising event

Informational packet inserts

Stationery program

Promotional poster

Informational handout. Young Audiences New York sponsors a wide range of residencies, performances, family activities, and hands-on pre-professional workshops for students.

A benefit journal incorporating the updated visual approach

 

Designers
Alexander Isley
Alyssa Najm
Christina Holland

Writer
Alexander Isley