Founded in 1938, Celebrity Series of Boston has been one of New England’s premier arts presenters. For more than 87 years, the organization has introduced Boston audiences to extraordinary performers across orchestral music, vocal and piano artistry, dance, and jazz in the city’s major concert venues. The name "Celebrity Series" did not age gracefully and was often noted as confusing, misleading and sometimes, perceived as elitist to modern audiences. Following months of surveys and interviews with over 600 participants, the organization became Vivo Performing Arts, a name rooted in the idea of vitality and shared, lived experience.
The rebrand centers on expressing the emotional, kinetic connection between performers and audiences through a bold, contemporary design system. Vivo’s identity combines expressive typography, vibrant non-hierarchical color, and hand-painted illustrations created in response to music, prioritizing feeling over form. Together, these elements create a flexible, energetic visual language that feels alive, inclusive, and resonant with a wider range of audiences.
The rebrand centers on expressing the emotional, kinetic connection between performers and audiences through a bold, contemporary design system. Vivo’s identity combines expressive typography, vibrant non-hierarchical color, and hand-painted illustrations created in response to music, prioritizing feeling over form. Together, these elements create a flexible, energetic visual language that feels alive, inclusive, and resonant with a wider range of audiences.
Naming, Branding, Web Design
Role: Senior Designer
ECD: Travis Robertson
Copy: Nat Lileks
Role: Senior Designer
ECD: Travis Robertson
Copy: Nat Lileks
