Features / Bristol Beacon
Three young artists working to create Bristol Beacon’s visual identity
When the Bristol Beacon was revealed as the new name for the Colston Hall in September, the name was deliberately revealed without branding or a visual identity.
Since then, three emerging creatives from Rising Arts Agency have been busy working behind the scenes to develop branding that – in the words of Bristol Music Trust (BMT) – “feels right for the new name and the city”.
Venue bosses hope that the artists, including one whose first job in Bristol was working behind the bar at the Colston Hall, will help design a new identity that can last for many years to come.
is needed now More than ever
Sarah Robertson, Bristol Beacon’s director of communications & special projects, wants “to ensure that the visual identity speaks to and is representative of the widest voices in Bristol”.
She said: “It’s really important to us that we create a brand that is welcoming and open to all and reflects the vibrancy and diversity of our city.
“The young people we are working with are sparking new ideas and are embedded in youth culture and design. They are all talented artists in their own right and are already bringing inspiration from original and unexpected places.”
RTiiiKA
RTiiiKA is also known as Rosa ter Kuile – photo: Karen Freer
RTiiiKA (pronounced “ah-teeka”) describes her work as “capturing the silly and tickling the profound”.
RTiiiKA is Rosa ter Kuile, a 27-year-old Dutch-British artist who lives in Bedminster. She is a self-taught artist and is inspired to work with people, organisations and brands that strive to make positive change.
Her work as a freelance artist spans illustration, mural painting and design and she says that she creativity as a way to connect, empower and inspire change.
She said: “Being part of the Bristol Beacon rebrand is an opportunity to shape the cultural landscape in Bristol, to change the narrative of the building and pave the way for a truly inclusive future.”
Jasmine Thompson
Jasmine Thomson is a 26-year-old illustrator and designer based in Easton, whose work encompasses digital illustration, visual journalism, murals, and graphic novels, specifically focusing on politics, culture and social issues.
After initially moving to Bristol from Worcester to study illustration at UWE, she stayed in the city after graduation to begin her career.
She is a board member for Rising Arts Agency as well as a resident artist, and is also currently a resident at the Pervasive Media Studio, where she is exploring the use of creative technology as a storytelling tool.
Speaking about the opportunity to work on the Bristol Beacon rebrand, she said: “This rebrand is another huge step in moving Bristol forward and creating something that’s a truly collaborative effort, that properly represents the city and all of us who live here.”
Greg Keen
Grek Keen – photo: Greg Keen
Greg Keen describes his work as “hard to pinpoint, but what drives it is always the same. Everything I make is born from boiling down wide-reaching research into a rich, tasty idea.”
Greg, 25, from Bishopston, works as a graphic designer, artist and illustrator, and is hoping to make the move into the film and television industry to design graphic props.
He grew up in the East Midlands, taught himself to use Photoshop, left school and moved to Cornwall to attend Falmouth University, moving to Bristol after graduating.
He said: “Having worked at the venue’s bar when I first moved here, I am humbled to be given the chance to collaboratively change the space in to something that truly is for everyone.”
Main image: Bristol Museum Trust / Rising Arts Agency
Read more: Bristol’s streets become canvas for young creatives
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