Craft Contemporary / Revitalizing a beloved museum
Transformed the Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum with comprehensive rebranding that addressed member identity challenges. Developed new positioning within one month that energized existing patrons while attracting new visitors. Created an adaptive identity system ensuring lasting relevance. Received recognition from the LA Times as "bringing craft into the now" and featured at the California Association of Museums conference as a model for institutional rebranding.
Using insights about how the museum chose and showcased artists, I created a strong story to guide the museum's branding and future direction.
Revealing the potential of craft.
We believe in the power of craft. It's our calling to help people discover, understand and experience it.
The art of handcrafting imprints a piece with power. the power to educate, to challenge, to captivate, to provoke, to heal. It's what turns an everyday washboard into a statement on conflict. It's why a night shaping clay can ignite a new appreciation for possibilities. It's how understanding the story behind an object can challenge our view of the world around us.
We champion those who share our commitment to these time-honored practices, those who seek to create, motivate and share.
Our intimate space invites people in, to take a closer look, a second look, a look at life anew. We break down boundaries between art, artist and experience, bringing together a community of local and global makers to share how and why they work. Creating opportunities to connect on a deeper level with art, each other and ourselves.
Following the positioning strategy, I managed a team of naming specialists and creatives for the museum's rebranding. Collaborating with the Director, I helped bring in and manage other partners, such as a website development company.
With limited time and resources, we crafted a plan to engage stakeholders through digital and in-person experiences connected to ongoing events like exhibits and galas. To sustain long-term interest, we proposed sharing exclusive artist content after the launch.
Guided their pivot
During COVID-19, the museum boosted its online presence by emphasizing it’s maker perspective and offering free craft tutorials on social media. Fans could pick up materials at the museum, then follow along at home. This creative approach helped them connect with existing visitors and attract new ones.
Fun fact about this project…
Baby brain strategy
I was 9+ months pregnant during this engagement and gave our final board presentation 2 weeks before my due date.
(That’s me in the striped dress doing an experience audit!)
