The making of LIVING A CREATIVE LIFE

As far as reports go, this was not your typical assignment. We went from the tarmac of the Calgary International Airport to setting up a desk and typewriter in a +15, to bringing together classical musicians and hockey players on an outdoor rink on a chilly February night.

These were a few of the shots we conceived in collaboration with Calgary Arts Development and photographer Jason Stang (who carted his equipment all over the city to create some truly unique imagery for an arts development strategy for Calgary).

Formerly named the Arts Plan, Calgary Arts Development spearheaded a process of consultations and research before compiling highlights of its findings in this report. Literally years in the making, it is the first definitive plan of action for the arts in Calgary, now titled Living a Creative Life: An Arts Development Strategy for Calgary.

We branded Living a Creative Life to feel as vibrant as the arts in Calgary are. The logo for the project is a patchwork design representing artistic ‘focus areas’ that come together to make up the creative soul of Calgary. 

We then combined this with photography showing photos of art and artists in unexpected places and scenarios across the city. We wanted to illustrate that art is not exclusive to the studio, that it informs other disciplines (such as education or business), and is part of every day life in Calgary.

Below, an artist takes a stab at something drawn in sugar…and you see how it translated to the cover of the report.