Insitu Dance Festival: A Visual Identity That Moves

Designers Siri Lindskrog and Jetzt-immer Create an Award-Winning Visual Identity for the Insitu Site-Specific Dance Festival

Imagine a dance festival where the performances are not confined to a stage but are instead integrated into the cityscape. This is the concept behind the Insitu Site-Specific Dance Festival, and its visual identity, created by designers Siri Lindskrog and Jetzt-immer, is as dynamic and unique as the event itself.

The inspiration for the visual identity came from the festival's location and concept. "Insitu" means "in place," and the festival showcases dance pieces created specifically for various locations along the waterfront in New York City. The visual identity reflects this by playing with dimensions in a typographic concept that places words in space, relating them to their surroundings. The modern and playful architecture of the waterfront inspired the design's visual expression, while the colors were drawn from the water and summer weather.

What sets this design apart is its versatility and flexibility. The typographic concept is used in various ways across different media, giving the festival a recognizable yet varying visual expression. This design is the public face of the festival, creating the first impression for choreographers, residents in the neighborhood, and festival-goers. It needed to be exciting, curious, professional, and trustworthy, a balance that was achieved through careful design choices.

The design was realized mostly through print material, including posters, flyers, and banners, printed on white coated paper. The posters came in two sizes, A2 (420 x 594 mm) and A3 (297 x 420 mm), and were used to promote the festival. The design also extended to the festival's website and other digital platforms.

Creating a design that appealed to the festival's broad target audience was a challenge. It needed to be interesting to those already artistically developed, while still being approachable for those with less artistic interest. Through discussions with the festival organizer and visits to the festival location, the designers were able to create a design that supported the festival's values and drew inspiration from the existing visual elements of the location.

The Insitu Site-Specific Dance Festival's visual identity was not only a success with the festival's audience but also with the design community. It was awarded Silver in the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award in 2017, a prestigious honor given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation. This award is a testament to the design's technical excellence, artistic skill, and ability to evoke positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.