The Dublin-based creative and branding agency Brandcentral has developed a new visual identity for the Irish Writers Centre as the organisation marks its 35th anniversary.
The identity, unveiled during Irish Design Week at the Royal Irish Academy of Music on November 9, follows a strategic review of the Centre’s positioning, audiences and future ambitions.
The new branding combines serif typography with a distinctive graphic element and will be introduced across the Centre’s website, digital platforms, publications, events and marketing materials.
Brandcentral also commissioned a series of portraits of writers associated with the Centre, including Joseph O’Connor, Djamel White and Jan Carson, as part of the project.
Michelle McGuire, partner at Brandcentral, said the aim was to develop an identity that better reflected the organisation’s role in Ireland’s cultural landscape.
“The Irish Writers Centre has an extraordinary story to tell, but we felt there was an opportunity for its brand to better reflect the scale of its influence and the important role it plays in Ireland’s cultural landscape,” she said.
Gerard Whelan, partner at Brandcentral, said the agency sought to balance the Centre’s literary heritage with a more contemporary identity.
“The creative process was about finding the right balance between heritage and modernity. We explored how typography, form and simplicity could work together to create something distinctive and memorable, without losing the warmth and openness that make the Irish Writers Centre so special,” he said.
Mags McLoughlin, chief executive of the Irish Writers Centre, said the rebrand reflected the organisation’s plans to broaden its reach among established and emerging writers.
The identity will make its first appearance in print in Anthology 35, an anniversary publication featuring contributions from 35 writers, published by Walsh Publishers and due to be launched at the Centre on November 14.
