Fresh branding, rooted in history and place

Mostyn is one of Wales’s leading contemporary arts centres, based in Llandudno on the north coast. We worked with their team on a full brand overhaul. We devised a fresh look that works across print, digital and signage. We also worked on tone of voice to help Mostyn better communicate their purpose and values with their varied audiences.

Our Glenn is from north Wales himself, so this project was a particular dream for him.

Creative process

What makes Mostyn truly unique is its combination of the contemporary and the traditional. Behind its beautiful listed Victorian red-brick facade lies a modern concrete extension and cutting-edge international art. All in a classic seaside setting.

We took visual cues from the building, presenting them in a contemporary style. Drawing on the shape of its windows, we introduced an archway motif, applied as a graphic in signage, and as a framing device in digital and print marketing, it gives a window into Mostyn’s offer.

Our signage scheme references the design process behind the building’s concrete interior, which was made by setting concrete against wooden planks for texture. Signs are made from wood and stained to retain the texture, all in the brand’s new core colour – a lovely zesty lime.

Supporting colours in the brand palette are inspired by Mostyn’s location; sea blue, ice cream pink, and dark green from the stunning Great Orme backdrop.

International art.
Welsh roots.

Together with the gallery’s staff team, we delved deep into what Mostyn means to them and what it represents to its visitors.

It turns out Mostyn is many things to many people. Mostyn’s galleries attract an art crowd from around the world. Its engagement programme is very much rooted in its coastal community. The building itself has a fascinating history, dating back to its first iteration as a pioneering gallery for women artists in the early 1900s. Its cafe is a hit with gallery-goers and seaside tourists alike. And its shop celebrates creative talent from Wales and beyond.

We wanted to help Mostyn show their pride in each of these areas. We wrote tone of voice guidance, hanging it on key messages for use in signage and marketing, including:

International art. Welsh roots.

Big ideas happen here.

Open to interpretation. Open to ideas. Open to all.

Shopping inspired by art, from our community of creators.

Coffee and cake with a sea view… at tables 9 & 10.