Lehigh Valley Arts Council Internship

During the spring semester of my senior year of college, I was the graphic design intern for the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing community engagement with the arts. I was tasked with designing the logo and branding materials for the Champions of Inclusion event, which took place in July 2018. This event was a trade fair for greater cultural access for people with disabilities. It highlighted successful artists with disabilities and showcased groups and businesses that have made accommodations for people with disabilities.

The design of my logo is a circular pattern consisting of six stylized figures. The figures are holding each other’s hands triumphantly above their heads, suggesting teamwork and togetherness. Gold is a color often found on awards and medals, signifying champions, and dark blue is associated with communication and knowledge. The abstracted forms suggest that the people could be anyone, and the use of alternating colors represents diversity. A flower with six petals is visible in the negative space between the figures, signifying growth and progress. The figures are distorted slightly to form a subtle spiral, suggesting movement. The petals of a flower all meet at a common point in the center, just like how the event will bring people together.

Here are some of the branding materials I designed for the event:

Some of the designs were finalized after I finished my internship. Here are the final versions of those pieces:

front and back of Champions of Inclusion postcard

Champions of Inclusion postcard

Champions of Inclusion flyer

Champions of Inclusion flyer

I also designed the registration forms for the event as well as the first draft of the admission ticket.

I have gained a lot from my time in my internship. Here are a few examples: I learned how to work more closely with those critiquing my design work. I have honed my design process and improved my technical design skills. I learned how to adapt my designs when parameters or necessary information changed. I also gained experience working in an office environment.

For more information about the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, visit http://www.lvartscouncil.org/