Puppets Up logo featuring mascot Nick.
Branding Print, Web, Event Signage

Puppets Up! International 
Puppet Festival

About the Project: The Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival is a vibrant local arts event in Almonte, Ontario that brings together world-class puppetry talent for a weekend of performances every other year. In 2024, the festival needed to refresh its visual identity, website, and marketing materials to attract new attendees after a multi-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

A graphic showing the Puppets Up! website in various pages, desktop and mobile.

Project Goals: I was tasked with redesigning the festival’s website (building on an existing Wordpress site) and creating complementary marketing materials, including print and digital ads, social media graphics, and event signage. The primary goal was to engage families and reintroduce the festival in a way that captured its spirit and history while driving ticket sales. A secondary goal was to increase volunteer participation and sponsorship support.

Design Solution: For the visual identity, I chose a bold dark purple gradient with vibrant fuchsia accents, which reflected the festival's playful yet professional nature. I updated the typography using Gelica, a fresh, fun typeface that worked well across digital and print formats. Additionally, I proposed modernizing the Puppets Up! logo by incorporating their beloved mascot in a more contemporary illustration style.

My Process: I began with thorough research, including meeting with the Puppets Up! Communications Committee and key board members. I also researched other local and international arts festivals to identify emerging design trends and gather inspiration. This research helped shape the design direction for both the website and the marketing materials.

Project Outcomes: The website redesign improved usability and provided a visually cohesive experience for users. The refreshed photography and updated palette created a more engaging environment for the target audience. The updated branding was successfully applied across all marketing assets, ensuring a unified look and feel from the posters to the event signage.

Client Reviews

Here’s what my clients have to say about working with me.

“I really appreciated Kristen’s fabulous design skills and responsiveness, especially as deadlines loomed. I would love to work with Kristen again and highly recommend her as a designer and team member.”
Kris Reindeau
Editor & Publisher, The Humm, Vice-chair of Puppets Up! Board
“Kristen is a great designer who provided a fresh and crisp look to the Puppets Up! 2024 festival. She was responsive, detail-oriented, positive, and collaborative, making her a dream to work with!”
Jane Torrance
Executive Director, Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival