B-Side Multimedia Arts Festival

After a successful pilot in 2008, the second b-side multi-media arts festival took place in September 2010 in Weymouth and Portland, Dorset. It presented an ambitious, experimental and contemporary programme of artists’ commissions in sound, installation, film, photography and visual and live art in unusual and unexpected locations.

We worked with the b-side festival committee to produce a logo and brand that reflected the contemporary output of the festival. b-side’s name (and ethos) originated from the b-side’s of vinyl records which were usually more interesting and experimental than the A-sides, hence their strapline ‘Explore the flip side of the sea-side’.

Some of the most interesting combinations of photography, art and graphic design have also been combined into the packaging of music; this lead us to look at record labels for logo inspiration and record sleeves for print output and in particular Peter Saville’s work for Factory Records.

The work Wired Canvas undertook for b-side felt like a really creative, collaborative process. They were able to distill our many needs as a new organisation into a workable plan of action.

From the brand we went on to support the festival by producing the web site, festival programme, adverts, flyers, posters, signs, e-newsletters and social networking campaigns. During the festival we used photos of Alice’s hand* with text written on it to communicate messages, physically direct people around the festival and also to create an additional festival identity.

Rob and Alice are ultimately great people to work with, they have never let us down and have an innate sense of fun.

- Sandy Wilderspin, b-side festival producer.

In 2011 b-side was added to the national portfolio funding programme by Arts Council England. We will be working with b-side again for the 2012 festival when they will be commissioning digital art to run alongside the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events events in Weymouth and Portland.

*She now works part time as a hand model and keeps her hand in a sealed glass glove to prevent ageing.