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DDA proposes artist-designed Old School Square brand; public to pick winner in spring reveal
Summary
The Downtown Development Authority presented a rebranding plan for the Old School Square campus that would use watercolor illustrations by local artists for a campus emblem and venue-specific logos, followed by a public vote and an 18–20 week timeline for rollout and celebration.
The Downtown Development Authority presented a new branding plan for the Old School Square campus on Feb. 18 that would invite South Florida artists to submit watercolor illustrations for a single campus emblem and matching venue logos, then let the public pick the winner in a vote ahead of a celebratory reveal.
The recommendation came from Laura Simon of the DDA and Suzanne Boyd, the DDA’s director of marketing. Simon told the commission the goal is “one brand for the entire campus of Old School Square” that should “be owned by the city, not solely the DDA.” Boyd called the concept “A legacy through local art: reimagining Old School Square,” and described a multi-step plan of a call for artists, selection of two finalists, a public vote and a graphic refinement phase for the winning artist.
Why it matters: Old School Square is an anchor cultural campus in Delray Beach; this process would produce a single visual identity for the campus and distinct personalities for each venue while giving local artists a prominent role. The DDA said it timed the rollout to coincide with the campus’ centennial-year programming, with an estimated 18–20 week timeline from competition launch to public reveal.
Details: The DDA’s plan calls for: - A public call to artists limited to South Florida creators and watercolor illustration submissions tied to a specified palette and reproduction-friendly criteria. - Selection of two finalists by a review panel, then a public voting period to choose the winner. - Refinement of the selected emblem and creation of complementary logos for individual venues on the campus (for example, the Cornell Art Museum and the Crest Theatre). - Publication of brand guidelines and a public reveal timed with Old School Square programming.
Commission reaction was uniformly positive. Vice Mayor Cassell said the new direction “is lovely,” Commissioner Markert, who described himself as having a marketing background, praised the palette and community engagement plan, and others on the dais welcomed public involvement.
Next steps: The DDA will finalize the artist call materials and share a detailed timeline and selection criteria with city staff for any required permitting or approvals. The commission did not take formal action tonight; the DDA said it will return to the city with outreach documents and a launch plan.
Ending: The DDA framed the approach as a community-led branding effort rather than a proprietary DDA mark; staff will coordinate with the DDA on logistics, reproduction requirements and timing ahead of the public campaign.
