For 50 seasons, Aquarius has been recognized as a leader in Canadian theatre, producing works of the highest quality, premiering new plays, developing the skills of professional artists, and investing in youth and families in the Hamilton region and beyond. Aquarius is a hub for creative conversation that celebrates possibility, engages community, fosters innovation, and ignites future voices.

Coming up on its 50th anniversary and coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic rut, the new Aquarius team wanted to portray the theatre in a new light and express their evolution as a more inclusive and community-centred organization. Co-Effect was engaged to articulate this positioning with a new visual identity, season materials and a website.

During our discovery phase we connected with patrons, old and new audiences, and the artistic community. We explored the identity of Hamilton with its long history of blue-collar industry, steel in particular, but also as a place of creativity and art. As the City’s premier and only professional theatre, Aquarius is well positioned to be a cultural hub and part of the broader revitalization of Hamilton.

The new visual identity centres around the ‘A’ symbol, which functions as a frame. This is a reference to a stage and a steel structure–a nod to the industrial roots of the City. The bright colours signal the fresh, bold approach the organization is undertaking.

Co-Effect also help to coordinate the 2023-2024 season creative. We collaborated with emerging and established Hamilton-based artists to bring the season materials to life and further celebrate the local creative community.

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research and stakeholder engagement
positioning
branding
visual identity
stationary
templates
promotional materials
event materials
information architecture
user experience design
responsive user interface design
custom theme and page template design
integration with third-party platforms
web development
testing

theatreaquarius.org

2023-2024 Season Collaborators:
Lauchie Reid, creative/artistic direction and curation | @lauchie
Kieran Daly, illustration for Shirley Valentine | @kierandalyart
Kyle Stewart, illustration for Barry and Jonas in the Home | @kylestew.art
Heidi Berton, iIllustration for Boy Falls from the Sky | @heidiberton
Christopher Hall, illustration for Uncle Vanya | @professorpaints
Tom Wilson, art used for Beautiful Scars | @leeharveyosmond