Connecting new and existing audiences with opera

CLIENT: SCOTTISH OPERA

ROLE: DESIGN LEAD

Scottish Opera is Scotland’s national opera company and the largest performing arts organisation in Scotland. Their mission is to entertain, inspire, surprise, educate, challenge, and delight audiences old and new by delivering high quality, powerful opera throughout Scotland, the rest of the UK and internationally. They deliver an innovative education and outreach programme for people of all ages, social backgrounds and abilities.

Brand & visual design

Collaborating closely with opera directors and theatre designers to translate their creative vision into captivating title art always began with storytelling, encapsulating a mood or a glimpse into another world. The concepts were brought to life through collaborations with talented photographers, videographers, and illustrators to ensure a distinctly unique result each time, whilst building a bold, confident and coherent image for the company.

By constantly striving to innovate and inspire – whether that was managing pyrotechnics on-set for a mood or acting out a role-play with an actor to get them into character, it was all about capturing a moment that would captivate the audience and connect them with the story of the opera on a deeper level. With an amazing in-house talent of costume, props, hair and make-up onsite, the challenges was richly collaborative in delivering a spectacular visual result.

Campaign artwork for an opera called 'Carmen' installed in an outdoor advertising space.
Campaign artwork for an opera called 'Carmen' installed on the outside windows of the Theatre Royal Glasgow.
Two publications from 2022-23 and 2023-24 of Scottish Opera's annual opera performances.
A series of social media templates for Scottish Opera's campaigns.
A campaign image featuring four singers and a pianist made of paper sculpture standing in a Scottish landscape. The image was made to promote the touring show, Opera Highights, delivered by Scottish Opera.
A campaign image featuring a female acrobat twirling a hoop and surrounded by balloons. The image was made to promote the touring show, Opera Highights, delivered by Scottish Opera.
Two Scottish Opera branded tote bags in burgundy and grey, printed with the words 'Guaranteed goosebumps' on them.
A series of social media templates for Scottish Opera's campaign for the production, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Digital advertising

The traditional perception of opera as a grand, formal affair clashes somewhat with the casual, digital-centric lifestyle of younger generations. However, younger audiences are needed to secure the future of this art form and enrich its artistic landscape by infusing new energy and ideas.

The core objective of this campaign was to encourage ‘Under 26’ audiences to experience opera for the first time. ‘Journey into opera for a tenner’– what’s not to like? The campaign primarily focussed on digital platforms, including paid social media advertisements and prominent outdoor locations near university campuses, emphasizing a digital-first approach.

Social media advertising showing the 'See, hear, feel more' campaign to encourage under 26 audiences to attend opera performances.
Digital advertising poster showing the 'See, hear, feel more' campaign to encourage under 26 audiences to attend opera performances.
Outdoor digital advertising posters showing the 'See, hear, feel more' campaign to encourage under 26 audiences to attend opera performances.

Photographers/Videographers: James Glossop, Kirsty Anderson and Jamie Simpson
Commissioned illustrators: Helen Musselwhite (papercraft figures) and Mar Hernández (the acrobat)

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