Interlochen Center for the Arts introduces new logo

Based on a vision of intersecting pathways, relationships, and experiences, our new mark champions the social connectedness we foster and the vibrant spirit of our multidisciplinary programs

September 29, 2020

Dear Friends,

As we recently conducted research on the unique attributes of Interlochen, a simple refrain grew to a resounding chorus: Alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff spoke universally of the unbreakable bonds formed here. At Interlochen, they said, students found “their people.” Living and learning in this unique environment, surrounded by like-minded peers, young artists explore their passions and discover their best selves. Their life-changing experiences at Interlochen leave an indelible mark.

It was this core insight that inspired the new institutional logo for Interlochen, which we are excited to share with you today. The logo is based on a vision of intersecting pathways, relationships, and experiences. We envision the lines of the logo as students who meet at Interlochen, where new opportunities, friendships, and artistic achievements await. Lifelong connections and memories form, which stay with students beyond their time at Interlochen.

Our new logo also expresses the multidisciplinary co-mingling of the arts at this remarkable place. Many of you will also note that the concentric sets of lines form an abstract capital letter “I.”

The logo is part of our new brand strategy and visual identity—the language, colors, imagery, and other elements that convey Interlochen’s world-class educational, artistic, and cultural programs. This reinvigoration of the Interlochen brand grew out of comprehensive institutional efforts to better reflect our position as the leading destination for young artists.

Hundreds of Interlochen community members informed our comprehensive brand research and refinement process, including Camp and Academy students, alumni, prospective students, faculty, staff, and donors. Galvanized by strong feedback, we partnered with Airtype, a creative studio, to design the first new mark for Interlochen in more than 20 years.

While there were philosophical reasons to change the logo, there were practical ones as well. Today, with prospective students reliant on online search and social media, Interlochen needs a logo that conveys its mission in digital environments. Unlike our former logo, which was designed in 2000 primarily for print materials, the new logo adapts seamlessly to mobile screens, including as a social media avatar.

To ensure that the new logo would appeal to prospective students, we conducted focus groups of Academy students from every arts discipline, with most students rating the logo “very good” or “great.” An example of many positive comments we heard: “I like the idea of interwovenness. It makes me think of our motto in Kresge: ‘dedicated to the promotion of world friendship through the arts’... that’s very important to what everyone experiences here.”

You’ll see the new mark today on our website, social media channels, and on downloadable items such as Zoom backgrounds and smartphone wallpaper. You’ll also find newly branded merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, water bottles, and more at our online Scholarshop. In the coming months, we’ll roll out our new visual identity across our marketing materials, including as part of a beautiful new website.

I hope you will take pride in the new logo. Ultimately, it celebrates you—our alumni, students, faculty, staff, volunteers, donors, and other supporters who all share a love for Interlochen and realize the transformative impact it has on your lives. We are living through a tumultuous moment, but now more than ever, we remain interconnected through our love of the arts and the sense of purpose they bring to our lives.

With gratitude,

Trey Devey
President

Katharine Laidlaw
Vice President, Strategic Communications and Engagement