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Client: Modern Culture
Project: Brand development for Stories from Sweden
THE DESIGN CHALLENGE
Modern Culture, is an organisation dedicated to producing literary and cross-artform events.
Their initiative: Stories From Sweden, spotlights Swedish authors and their translators across the UK and Ireland, bringing international literature to life through live events at bookshops, festivals, and cultural venues.
Working closely with the client, we explored two key directions rooted in Scandinavian design traditions:
A minimalist, grid-based approach with muted tones and sans serif typefaces.
A bolder, retro-inspired direction featuring vibrant colours, strong graphic motifs, and modernist serif typography — a nod to 1970s Scandinavian visual culture.
We opted for the second direction — something that would stand out on tote bags, roller banners, and festival brochures in an increasingly crowded cultural space.
The final logo features a simple book motif, with pages forming a stylised wave — referencing both the Scandinavian spirit of travel and discovery and the fact that all events are in-person, with guests traveling from Sweden to the UK and Ireland.
The result: A bold, versatile identity that is rooted in Swedish design history while being fresh and festival-ready.
Thanks to Martin Colthorpe at Modern Culture for his trust and creative collaboration.