Introducing Virginia Humanities: an updated brand for one of the nation’s most influential humanities organizations

Charlottesville, VA—Since its founding in 1974, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities has grown to become the most diversely funded, most diversely programmed, and one of the largest state humanities councils in the country. After 44 years of service, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities is simplifying its name, clarifying its message, and renewing its commitment to bringing relevant programs to the citizens of Virginia.

The new brand, Virginia Humanities, simplifies the name and logo, while a new graphic identity system will help us achieve greater recognition for the outstanding work being done by our staff, programs, and partners.

The effort began with extensive research conducted by teams of graduate students at the VCU Brandcenter, which identified the need to clarify the important role Virginia Humanities plays in helping Virginians tell their stories, explore their differences, and connect through what we all have in common.

“Virginia Humanities is a remarkable asset to the people of the Commonwealth. We offer a diverse array of programs—from public events to radio programs to books and a rapidly-growing group of digital resources—that help Virginians explore our past and better understand our present,” said Matthew Gibson, Virginia Humanities’ executive director. “But our research showed that even people who enjoy our programs may not know about the organization behind them. The new identity system will allow us to demonstrate the connection between our programs and help us make the case for the work we do.”

The new brand identity takes an adaptable approach to showcasing the many faces of Virginia Humanities in a system designed by Journey Group, a Charlottesville-based design studio. “Virginia Humanities is an organization that explores the diversity of Virginia’s heritage, so we didn’t want to create a system that was limited to one representation,” said Greg Breeding, president of Journey Group. “The new system allows each program of Virginia Humanities to express its unique story, while connecting all programs with a common symbol inspired by the state of Virginia.”

The new graphic system will be rolled out across all programs over the next six months. The new look comes with a renewed commitment by Virginia Humanities’ board and staff to highlight stories from every corner of the Commonwealth and to help recognize a shared sense of humanity at a time when divisions may be easier to see than the values that unite us.

“We believe this work has never been more important, and we invite all Virginians to join us in our mission as we start this exciting new chapter as Virginia Humanities,” said Gibson.

About Virginia Humanities: The mission of Virginia Humanities is to connect people and ideas to explore the human experience and inspire cultural engagement. We reach an estimated annual audience of 23 million through community programs, websites and digital initiatives, grants and fellowships, radio programs and podcasts, the Virginia Folklife Program, and the Virginia Center for the Book. To learn more, visit VirginiaHumanities.org.

Maggie Guggenheimer
Director of External Relations
Virginia Humanities