BRIEF

DESIGN A LOGO FOR A SPACE FOR US!

This is open to all – and the chosen design will win £80.

We need a logo to say who we are, what we do, and express our values and mission.

A tall order… but you can do it!

About us

A SPACE FOR US will be a new physical museum / gallery space for our communities.

This new ‘People’s Museum’ in Somers Town: A SPACE FOR US.

Somers Town and its history is at threat from the rapid development in this area: it is at a crossroads.

Who we are

Our Identity: A SPACE FOR US: radicals, reformers and un-common people

A museum in a social housing block telling the story of change and social housing and its communities in the area. 

Words: Quirky, Spirited, social justice, anarchic, radical histories

Function: A SPACE FOR US, will be, in essence is a People’s Museum located in Somers Town / St Pancras aiming to honour and celebrate our all our histories, as well as record a changing area thorough a changing thought provoking programme of exhibitions.  

The heart of our mission is to benefit the local community through a social enterprise and through education and arts.

While our current identity comes from our start as a ‘History Club’ we have a mostly local audience,  the events attract a outside audience, and we wish to develop a more outside audience and appeal to younger people as well. So the logo should also appeal to a younger, outside demographic as well.

We need a visual to express our identity – as above. Uses: On posters On print and on web

References

Museum references: People’s History Museum, Manchester; Migration Museum, Museum of the Home

Quotes: Art in everyday life/ Housing is not enough/ People need roots/ housing

Visual references: Arches, courtyards, space,  Gilbert Bayes art in everyday life; Spirit publications

See this PADLET for visuals

Historical References: Social housing histories, social reform, Radical thinkers,, working class histories, histories of local left wing community activism, women’s rights, black activism, pubs. 

So far we have this, but we need a more quirky logo!
Can you do better?

A SPACE FOR US sign.

Our Goals

To be a small, quirky museum on the ‘Museum Mile’.

Our ambition is to be a smaller version of the People’s history Museum in Manchester.

What we do – community purpose

What we do – research and publications

Background – Who we are

Our origins are in the Somers Town History Club (STHC) set up in 2016 by seven locals:  ‘Capturing Somers Town Stories… by locals for locals…’ This is our guiding spirit – we believe in local ownership of the Museum.
We’re all from this area – activists in this community for over 20 years. As volunteers, we have drawn together a network of experts, academics, historians and local enthusiasts.
We believe in grounds up initiative – that’s why we’re currently co-curating the Museum with the community.

Target Audiences

We currently have a very local audience but wish to also appeal to a younger outside demographic.

Our events attract an audience of outsiders interested in history, London histories, quirky histories, women’s rights, left wing, community and social activist history.

A living memory project – preserving heritage and voice

What we do – recording history and current change – our film https://aspaceforus.club/film/

and https://aspaceforus.club/made-of-somers-town/

The Somers Town Memory Project, documents the area in film and voice: this oral history work is ongoing in an area riven by change. The Spirit! film came from this work. We’ve also compiled 4 Spirit! publications, outdoor displays, ‘Pop Up Museums‘ including the 2019 British Library. In August 2020 we toured estates as part of a community co-curation of the People’s Museum.
Have a look at all our projects.
We campaign to preserve local heritage, such as Gilbert Bayes work – Save our art! and have got a local female housing pioneer shortlisted for a Blue Plaque.

Community work

Our roots are as a social club, holding talks, walks, photo and art competitions – events are always free to locals. We always contribute a show to the Somers Town Festival – START’s founder is a Director.

Since lockdown, we have put on outdoor displays, donated children’s activity books to food banks, uploaded online education ; facilitated a online Work Experience.