Visalia’s logo redesign process is now open, and the deadline is approaching. What to know
The City of Visalia Brand Refresh logo redesign process is underway, and the city is calling on community members, artists, logo enthusiasts and those with an “eye for design” to submit artwork for consideration.
Here is what we know:
▪ People have until 5 p.m. on July 2 to submit artwork.
▪ The open call is for all ages and all experience levels, including self-taught, amateur, professionals and artistic and educational institutions. However, for those under the age of 18, submission must include legal consent from parent or guardian.
▪ Designs can be submitted either via an online submission form or people can drop off digital or hard copy files with a complete form at the city’s administration office (220 N. Santa Fe) between business hours or at the exterior drop-box at the front entrance any time during the submission period.
▪ While there is no limit to the number of submissions per individual, all submissions must meet the redesign process guidelines.
▪ One of the many logo design guidelines includes that the logo should be a reimagining of the “Breaking Through the V logo” with a strong V design element clearly visible with the word Visalia in or at the bottom.
The “Breaking Through the V” logo, which was unveiled in May and was part of a $150,000 cost that included a recruitment strategy, was received negatively by the community leading to an intense and widespread public outcry on social media that led the city to move its June 3 meeting to the Visalia Convention Center to accommodate community input.
At that meeting the council decided to retain the city logo introduced in 1998 as the city’s legacy logo and to open the brand refresh logo redesign process again to include community and local artists to submit artwork for consideration.
On June 17, the city council directed staff to have the logo redesign process be driven by community submissions opening the process on June 18, which the city announced on its social media platforms asking people “How would you capture Visalia in a logo?”
While the submission process indicates that those submitting their artwork will “donate” the artwork to the city, some people on social media started to question why the city wants local artist to donate their work while the city paid $150,000 to an outside firm.
The council has directed staff to work with the Brand Refresh Logo Design Committee to make a recommendation on a prize amount.
Submissions will be assigned to a number with the names of the entrants to remain anonymous to the city council and the logo redesign process committee, so that votes are based solely on design.
