ARTSCAN CIRCLE

ArtsCan Circle is a not for profit founded by harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens more than 20+ years ago after a chance encounter with Indigenous youth in the north changed the course of his life forever. Since then, ArtsCan Circle has been leading important work to bring art-based programming to remote northern communities with the mission of letting Indigenous youth know their voices matter.

To help them rebrand, I authored the brand and creative strategy to bring their story to Canada and beyond and fuel their next phase of growth. Preserving authenticity and navigating cultural sensitivity were factors throughout, which called for deep discovery and a high degree of nuance in the approach. The “unlock” came in the idea of Creative Diplomacy, which positions ArtsCan Circle as bridge between Indigenous communities and Canada’s capacity for change.

The work evolved into a full brand strategy, a reframed value proposition, story and communication platform THE ART OF DIALOGUE. In collaboration with design partner Intents & Purposes, we then developed a new visual identity and website to bring it all to life.