Alabama State Council on the Arts new logo for Celebration of the Alabama Arts

A little doodle here, a little color there, and voila! – the perfect logo takes form. If only it were that simple. Designing a logo may seem relatively easy, but it’s deceptively difficult to achieve. A memorable logo involves research, much deliberation and a capable designer.

The Alabama State Council on the Arts found just the right designer – Anna Carter of AMD Creative in Birmingham – to create a logo for Celebration of the Alabama Arts, the Council’s biennial event that shines a spotlight on arts and creativity in Alabama and individuals who make significant contributions to the state’s rich cultural landscape. The previous logo had been around for 20 years, so it was time to update and modernize the program’s logo to better reflect its mission.

“For the Council on the Arts’ 2022 Celebration of Alabama Arts, we wanted to feature a new logo design that is cohesive and adaptable to diverse usages and speaks to Alabama’s vibrancy and creativity element,” explains Council on the Arts’ Executive Director, Dr. Elliot Knight. “The rebranding effort also included an updated name for the awards program, which, along with the logo, allowed us to highlight our appreciation for the art and creativity that abounds within our state – and the people who make it possible.”

When Carter, AMD Creative’s head graphic designer, first met with the Alabama State Council on the Arts she was happy about their excitement in re-branding and willingness to let her explore her creative side to see what she could come up with. Carter says this freedom allowed her to let her creativity flow to explore all design possibilities.

Typically, Carter spends most of her time before she begins designing looking to nature for guidance.  Nature provides the simple lines and geometric shapes that drive her design aesthetic which can be seen throughout most of her creative work. Her inspiration for the icon began when she started thinking about the word celebration. Her combination of modern sleek lines with geometric shapes brought about the firework icon that provides an eye-catching and memorable mark for those passing by it. Colors play an important role in determining a brand’s message and do so with this logo.

“When approaching this logo design, I wanted to make sure to give the Alabama State Council on the Arts a design that would remain as a timeless mark for the organization to be able to use for many years to come,” Carter explains. “Taking time to sit down and establish a cohesive look for any program you put on as an organization is important. Branding helps your audience to better understand your event’s mission and allows viewers to better connect with the values of the organization.”

As Carter began her design process, she worked with the Alabama State Council on the Arts to create three different logo options. This gave the Council the opportunity to “see a wide range of ideas and get their brains turning on what designs catch their eye,” she adds.

This process helps clients quickly determine what they like and do not like. From this process, and a few edits in between, she was able to narrow it down to the option that was selected. This logo was chosen because of its clean, sleek modern look while also maintaining fun elements that could be used all together to recognize the brand as a whole or be separated.

Her combination of rounded geometric forms and the script CA design brought together the playful, eye-catching icon. She also included the radiating lines coming out of the top of the icon to evoke a feeling of excitement. Lastly, she chose an energetic yet calming color palette to pair with the branding to complete the overall look.

“When people view this logo, I hope they will be inspired by the whimsical beauty of the arts and feel a creative spark ignite inside of them,” she says. “This logo should be an encouraging beacon for those making an impact on the Alabama arts community.”

*Article Written by Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Anna Carter of AMD Creative