Paper Whale

For years, Paper Whale had been shaping the cultural identity of Bellingham through festivals, murals, events, and public art initiatives that brought energy and connection to the city.

But despite their growing impact, most people saw them simply as an arts organization at best, and at worst, didn’t know that Paper Whale was behind some of the community's most-loved events and initiatives.

In reality, Paper Whale was operating as something much larger: a creative placemaking agency focused on helping cities feel more vibrant, connected, and alive. They needed a brand that could better communicate the scale of their vision and the role they were playing in shaping the community around them.

We partnered with the Paper Whale team to define the strategic foundation beneath the work. We worked to clarify their purpose, mission, and vision as a framework for how they would communicate moving forward.

At the heart of the process was the simple but powerful belief that creativity has the ability to transform how people experience a city.

Paper Whale wasn’t just organizing events or installing murals. They were creating moments of belonging, and connection, helping local artists thrive, and building the kind of cultural momentum that makes people love where they live.

We refreshed the existing Paper Whale logo into a stronger, more recognizable brand mark and developed an accompanying wordmark and comprehensive visual identity system.

The system was designed to flex across every touchpoint — from festivals and public installations to marketing initiatives, social content, merchandise, and community communications — while maintaining a consistent and unmistakable presence.

The result is a brand that feels bold, energetic, and community-driven while giving Paper Whale the clarity and credibility to be recognized for what they truly are: a driving force behind the creative and cultural energy shaping Bellingham today.

Paper Whale continues to champion artists, activate public spaces, and push toward a future where cities feel more human, connected, and alive — all with the belief that communities become stronger when creativity is allowed to flourish in public.