Palau de la Música Catalana
Festival concept, name, and visual identity for a monthly classical music festival at Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona — designed to reach a new, younger audience.
- Festival concept
- Naming strategy
- Visual identity
- Poster system
- Campaign
- Client
- Palau de la Música Catalana
- Country
- Spanien
- Year
- 2025
Format
Monthly festival
Venue
Palau Petit
Audience
Under 35
Background
Palau de la Música Catalana faced a paradox: younger people listen to classical music via streaming but are rarely seen at the concerts. The institution wanted to bridge the gap with a considered rebrand.
The challenge
The identity had to break the perceptions that keep young people away — that classical is expensive, formal, and belongs to another generation — without losing the institution's credibility or being condescending.
Strategy
Research showed the audience already listens but avoids the hall due to cultural stereotypes. The strategy separated the music from the prejudice: a direct name (<35), a monthly format at Palau Petit, and distinctive concepts like The Blindfolded Concert.
Visual system
A black-and-white palette with one-line illustration inspired by a conductor's gestures. Typography: Plantin STD and Avenir LT Std. A three-column grid with sparse, rounded black-and-white photography.
The result
<35 gained an immediately recognisable festival identity that balances the institution's authority with a language that speaks directly to a younger audience.
Deliverables
- Festival concept
- Naming strategy (<35)
- Concert format (The Blindfolded Concert)
- Visual identity
- Poster series
- Campaign specifications
- Photography & grid guidelines
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