The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is pleased to announce the launch of its new brand. This change comes at a time when the organization is evolving to better meet the needs of Palm Beach County’s growing cultural community.
The Cultural Council identified the need for a rebrand two years ago while developing its current strategic plan. The plan focused on responsible growth and effective stewardship of talent and resources. It also recognized the need to intentionally market the Council and increase public awareness for the organization’s programs and services.
To mark the next chapter in its 40-year legacy, the organization has refocused on service to cultural organizations and creative professionals in Palm Beach County. In 2019, the Council embarked on a 10-month journey to create a new brand that better articulates its mission and service area. Work included an in-depth audit, consumer survey, industry research, focus groups, new messaging and a new logo.
“Since 1978, the Cultural Council has built a strong foundation of support for the cultural sector,” said Dave Lawrence, the Council’s president & CEO. “There’s a remarkable history of strong board leadership, enthusiastic donors and landmark programs that have led this organization to where we are today. There’s still work to be done, but we hope the community will join us in embracing this vision for the Cultural Council’s future.”
The Council’s name shift from “of” to “for” emphasizes its mission of service and support for the county and stays true to the equity that the Council name has built over the last 40 years. The “C” mark in the logo represents the community it serves — signifying a renewed focus on inclusion, access and diversity.
For more about the Cultural Council’s new brand and focus, read this insert from the winter 2020 issue of art&culture magazine.
As Palm Beach County’s official support agency for arts and culture, since 1982 the Council has distributed nearly $100 million in grants to cultural organizations and artists through programs funded through public and private dollars. The Council has also shown works by more than 1,050 Palm Beach County-based visual artists in its galleries since moving into the building in 2012 and has served over 1,800 Palm Beach County students through its arts education program, Arts in My Backyard, since 2016.
The Council has made recent strides to give its audiences the strongest programs and services to meet their needs. This included creating the Institute for Cultural Advancement (a multi-tiered professional development program), launching the Artist Innovation Fellowship Program (a grant designed to support the careers and artistic endeavors of creative professionals in Palm Beach County), enhancing arts advocacy work and diversifying the use of the Council’s headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach.
Looking ahead, the Council will work to provide more opportunities to creative professionals and cultural organizations, grow its membership, develop a five-year plan for Council programs and events, work with the Tourist Development Council to firmly establish The Palm Beaches as a cultural destination, and enhance its grantmaking program.
The Cultural Council’s new direction comprises the following four pillars:
- Defining the Cultural Council and articulating its mission and messaging to its respective audiences
- Enhancing the Council’s programs and services to meet or exceed the needs of all its constituencies
- Championing innovation across the cultural sector by creating new funding opportunities and making Palm Beach County a viable place for creative professionals to live, work and thrive
- Demonstrating excellence and making sure everything the Cultural Council does for the community is efficient, effective and responsible
The Cultural Council invites the public to be a part of this revitalized commitment to the cultural community of Palm Beach County, by becoming a member, donating to the Council or attending an event.
