CONTACT: Shannon Haines, President + CEO
[email protected], 207.509.3367
Waterville Creates Announces New Website and Brand Identity
Waterville, Maine —Waterville Creates is pleased to announce a new brand identity designed to convey its role as a unified and collaborative arts organization while celebrating the distinctive programming offered by its divisions, the Waterville Opera House, Maine Film Center, and Ticonic Gallery + Studios (formerly Common Street Arts). Waterville Creates (WC) formally merged with the Waterville Opera House (WOH) and the Maine Film Center (MFC) in 2018 and Common Street Arts in 2016 in order to promote and expand arts and cultural programming and marketing while streamlining administrative and back office operations. Waterville Creates reveals its comprehensive rebranding with the launch of a new and improved website featuring a consolidated ticketing platform.
With in-person programming suspended since mid-March 2020 due to the pandemic, WC focused its attention internally to projects that under usual circumstances are difficult to undertake given their complexity and scope. The new graphic identity builds on initial branding work undertaken as part of the merger process in 2018, when WC and its divisions developed key messaging and a communications plan. “The next logical step was to develop a cohesive graphic identity that honors the unique programming of each division yet conveys the collaborative nature that is the essence of Waterville Creates,” says Shannon Haines, President + CEO. “The unified brand, website, and ticketing system are essential elements to creating an exceptional patron experience for residents and visitors.”
WC’s new collaborative website replaces multiple independent sites and enables patrons to navigate seamlessly between venues to purchase tickets for film events at the Maine Film Center, live performances at the Opera House, and educational classes and workshops at Ticonic Gallery + Studios, former called Common Street Arts. Named for its initial location, Common Street Arts moved to The Center building on Main Street in 2016 and then to its current location at the Hathaway Creative Center on Water Street in 2018. “We sought a name that was reflective of the gallery’s long connection to downtown Waterville but that wouldn’t be tied to a specific address,” says Patricia King, Vice President of Waterville Creates, adding, “We felt that Ticonic Gallery + Studios would honor Waterville’s history and call attention to one of its natural landmarks.”
The consolidated ticketing system is a central component of the new website and will provide patrons with an improved visitor experience. “The new system will allow for a much more robust overview of the many events and performances offered across the organization,” says Tamsen Brooke Warner, Executive Director of the Opera House. “As we continue to think about how to best serve our diverse audiences, this platform will help us achieve that higher level of experience.”
“We saw a unique opportunity to embark on these organizational improvements given all of the challenges that 2020 presented for our organization. Our thinking was that when we are ready to gather again for in-person events and performances, these projects will have us well-poised to welcome patrons back to experience film, theatre, and special events unlike ever before,” says Mike Perreault, Executive Director of the Maine Film Center.
The Waterville Creates website redesign was funded in part by grants from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Kay E. Dopp Fund of the Maine Community Foundation.
About Waterville Creates
Waterville Creates connects artists, organizations, and the public with arts and cultural events and programs happening in our community. Supporting and promoting arts education, exhibitions, theatre, film, music, and dance that is accessible to all, Waterville Creates is leading the effort to make Waterville an exciting cultural destination and a thriving, vibrant community. For more information, visit www.watervillecreates.org.