Using public art to strengthen community identity, create memorable visitor experiences, and build lasting cultural infrastructure.
Creating a New Cultural Destination
The SWNOVA Mural Festival was created to celebrate creativity while strengthening Southwest Nova Scotia as a destination for arts, culture, and tourism.
Launching in Digby in September 2026, the inaugural festival will feature five large-scale murals by local and visiting artists alongside workshops, live experiences, youth programming, and community partnerships.
More than an arts festival, the initiative was envisioned as a catalyst for community pride, regional collaboration, and economic development—creating new reasons for residents and visitors alike to experience Southwest Nova Scotia.
The Challenge: Building More Than a Festival
As a new initiative, the festival needed to establish credibility, attract partners, and inspire audiences without the benefit of an existing reputation.
The brand needed to:
Celebrate Southwest Nova Scotia while allowing room to grow across multiple communities
Appeal to artists, residents, visitors, sponsors, businesses, and funders
Support marketing, sponsorship, wayfinding, and event experiences
Create a flexible identity capable of evolving alongside the festival
The objective wasn't simply to launch a successful event—it was to build a regional brand that could grow year after year.
Our Approach: Strategy and Identity Working Together
Locality developed the festival strategy and visual identity simultaneously, ensuring every design decision reinforced the long-term vision.
The name SWNOVA creates a concise, memorable expression of Southwest Nova Scotia while allowing the festival to expand beyond its Digby launch.
Led by Creative Director Jan Werthwein, the visual identity combines bold typography, vibrant colour, and geometric forms inspired by the energy and accessibility of public art. A distinctive starburst integrated into the wordmark became the foundation of a flexible graphic system—representing creativity, discovery, and community connection.
To support long-term growth, Locality developed a comprehensive brand activation system that included:
Festival positioning and messaging
Visual identity and design standards
Colour, typography, and graphic systems
Sponsorship and partnership materials
Marketing templates and campaign assets
Social media and promotional toolkit
Visitor experience concepts, including future signage and mural mapping
Beyond the brand, Locality also developed the festival's sponsorship framework, launching of social channels and content strategy, and a phased marketing strategy, providing partners with practical tools to participate while creating a scalable model for future expansion.
The Outcome: A Brand Built for Regional Impact
Rather than creating a one-time event identity, Locality delivered a place brand designed to evolve with the festival.
The resulting system provides a shared platform for artists, municipalities, businesses, sponsors, and community organizations to participate in a larger regional story while maintaining a cohesive and recognizable identity.
As the festival grows beyond Digby, the brand is positioned to strengthen destination appeal, support tourism, celebrate local creativity, and contribute to a more vibrant regional economy.
Why It Matters to Locality
At Locality, we believe the strongest place brands are built at the intersection of strategy, identity, and implementation.
The SWNOVA Mural Festival demonstrates how thoughtful branding can do more than promote an event, it can create a platform for collaboration, investment, and long-term regional growth. By developing the vision, identity, and activation strategy together, Locality created a brand designed not just to launch successfully, but to become a lasting cultural asset for Southwest Nova Scotia.
We can't wait to share more!
Client: Southwest Nova Mural Festival
Agency: Locality Consulting
Creative Lead: Jan Werthwein, Partner & Creative Director
Agency: Locality Consulting
Creative Lead: Jan Werthwein, Partner & Creative Director
Partner: Mony Zakhour, Creative Curator and Muralist
Services Provided: Brand Strategy, Place Branding, Visual Identity, Sponsorship Strategy, Marketing, Partner Activation
Services Provided: Brand Strategy, Place Branding, Visual Identity, Sponsorship Strategy, Marketing, Partner Activation
