Creative Balance
Brand Identity Design
Creative Balance is a research project exploring the mental health and well-being of Black and Global Majority creatives in Scotland. Led by We Are Here Scotland, the initiative investigates how BPOC-led creative spaces can nurture community wellbeing through community-driven research.
The identity is bold, humane, and accessible, representing the project’s emphasis on collective care and creative expression, while steering away from the clinical tones often associated with mental health design.
Objective
Strategy
To design a logo that communicates community, inclusivity, and creative collaboration. The team wanted something expressive yet refined, a mark that could live confidently across both digital and print contexts and speak to a diverse creative audience without relying on clichés or tokenistic symbolism.
The exploration began with visualising balance and connection through form. Early directions focused on geometric structures and typographic rhythm, but client feedback guided the concept toward something more human and relational.
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The final design integrates hand gestures within the typography — a universal expression of connection and support. Each hand subtly replaces a letter, transforming a functional wordmark into a symbol of togetherness. The hands appear to reach, meet, or hold space for one another, reflecting how Creative Balance encourages mutual care among artists and researchers.
Core Brand Values
Voice Values
Human-Centred
Speaks with empathy and warmth, prioritising people, care, and lived experiences.
Empowering
Encourages creative confidence and collective strength without feeling corporate or clinical.
Authentic
Honest, grounded, and community-driven using language that feels personal and accessible.
Visual Values
Expressive
Uses gesture, form, and colour to communicate emotion and connection.
Balanced
Combines structure with softness. Bold typography and vibrant colour anchored by a clear composition.
Inclusive
Reflects diversity and openness through adaptable design, approachable visuals, and equitable representation.
Logotype
The logotype was initially developed with Avenir Next Condensed for its strong, modern structure, later adapted to the open-source Barlow Condensed for accessibility and licensing. The letterforms were lightly customised to echo the angles of the illustrated hands, creating visual harmony between type and gesture.
A
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Secondary
Logo
Hand
Motif
The hand motif functions as both symbol and connector. Integrated directly into the lettering, the hands turn typography into conversation. A metaphor for creative communities supporting one another. Depending on the variation, the hands either touch, reach toward, or balance in opposition, visually capturing the project’s ethos.
The final identity balances clarity and character, structure and expression. It communicates the project’s dual focus on creativity and wellbeing while remaining flexible across research reports, community events, and social media.
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The result is a human-centred visual identity that celebrates community care, creativity, and the strength of collective balance.
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