Harbourside MGMT
Web design for an international artist management company, based in Bristol, who are on a mission to improve disability inclusion in the music industry at all levels.
Harbourside Artist Management is committed to proactively working with artists with disabilities, to help bridge the gap between the disability arts world and the mainstream music industry.
This year they have launched a Disability Empowerment Programme, in collaboration with Youth Music, to help increase disabled representation not only on stage but behind the scenes.
The Challenge
Ben, previously a tour manager, set up Harbourside Artist Management during the pandemic when live touring came to a standstill. He was initially operating under his own name, and came to us needing a website to represent a brand rather than an individual. He wanted to use the site to establish profile and demonstrate credibility, as well as position the business as an active player in Bristol’s music industry.
The challenge was to deliver a creative vision that was unique, full of flair but also inclusive and accessible. The website would also have a range of visitors, including fans, artists themselves, colleagues, promoters and labels, and needed to appeal to all of these audiences. It was important to create a site that everyone was happy with, since it would be representing the artists as well as the management company itself. Ben felt that using a local agency was important too, in order to integrate his business into Bristol’s landscape and he wanted the site to represent the energy of the city.
Our Approach
Our approach was to create a site that was fun and playful, but that still passed various accessibility checkpoints, such as colour contrast and readability.
We used a collaged paper style and bold typefaces to create the feel of an event poster, and coupled this with strong, dynamic patterns, all the while ensuring this didn’t compromise the legibility and navigation of the site. This DIY, almost street art style also allowed us to represent the vibrancy of Bristol without using any obvious bridge imagery that Ben wanted to avoid.
Our experience with WECIL meant we were able to deliver an effective, engaging and accessible website for Harbourside Artist Management.
Ben commented that he felt reassured by our experience, and commended our genuine interest in his business and the music industry which was informed by our backlog of work in design for music.
The Outcome
The outcome was an engaging, exciting and accessible new website for Harbourside Artist Management. Ben has received only positive feedback on the site, and it has given him confidence and credibility in the company and what it’s achieving to be able to feel reassured when sharing it far and wide.
The new website has provided the business with a platform to post updates through the news section, improving practical maintenance, as well as providing a refreshed new look for the business. This has all helped Harbourside Artist Management to begin carving itself out a space in Bristol’s vibrant art and cultural scene.
Testimonial
“I used Garrett Creative for my new website because I needed a new brand identity and a bit of confidence in the business that I’d created. Ed was a great creative lead on the project and imagined the website from start to finish, completely understood what I was asking for and delivered on time.
I couldn’t recommend the folks at Garrett Creative more. They gave me everything that I needed for the website and have really helped enhance my brand.”
Ben Price - Founder @ Harbourside Artist Management
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