Muse

Like most cultural organizations, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is constantly exploring options for expanding and engaging a younger audience demographic through programming that offers an alternative approach to engaging with art.

Having experienced similar programs implemented successfully elsewhere, I proposed a recurring event that celebrated the interplay of contemporary art with contemporary culture. Leadership at the museum discussed a number of ways this could manifest before eventually landing on a model similar to a listening party.

While the details were being finalized, I was tasked with naming the event, creating a sub-brand for it, and promoting it. The turnaround was quick too, with the first event scheduled less than three months from the initial meeting.

The first step was to come up with a name. Internally, it was being referred to as the “listening party,” but the event had evolved away from playing one album by one artist into a DJ set inspired by the exhibitions on view. Through a process of conversation and ideation, the name “Muse” was selected as it captured the concept of exploring inspiration surrounding visiting the museum.

Operating within the museum’s existing brand identity, I took a visual cue from band posters. The background was a gradient informed by the rooftop garden location, with sunsets, greenery, and furniture informing the palette. Abstracted shapes referenced the key components of the event: sine waves and radiating circles for sound, the circular spinning of an album, and a triangle to reference the museum’s signature architectural feature.

@mmocamadison

Put a twist on your night out! 🖼️🍹 Muse at MMoCA is where art, music, and mixology converge in an unforgettable experience. Public Parking is back at Muse at MMoCA with a selection of craft cocktails for you to sip as you take in a fresh music set, by DJ Evan Woodward of Strictly Discs, curated to compliment the evening. 📅 March 27 🕔 5–9 PM 🥂 This event is 21+ 🎟️ Free Admission Learn more at: mmoca.org/muse – MMoCA MadisonMuseumofContemporaryArt MuseatMMoCA music drinks art

♬ original sound – MMoCA – MMoCA

The design was made into physical posters that were distributed in high-traffic areas and displayed with partner organizations. It was also translated into digital assets for social media and digital marketing, including an animated reel created using After Effects.

The abstract shapes and shifting gradient made for a modular design that allowed for a wide range of variation while still operating within the similar design language of the museum’s brand.