Redesigning Art Bridges for a Seamless Digital Art Experience
A nonprofit’s website serves as a digital interface that does far more than provide information. It actually connects people to the nonprofit’s mission.
Art Bridges, an organization started by Alice Walton, epitomizes this philosophy by facilitating access to American art through partnerships with numerous museums and art organizations around the country.
To further advance this goal, Art Bridges partnered with Clay, a San Francisco-based UI/UX design and branding agency, to redesign its website.
The outcome? A well-crafted, engaging site that illustrates Art Bridges’ narrative and enhances the experience of art enthusiasts, museum professionals, and prospective partners.
An American Art Masterpiece in Visual Form
Visitors to the new website are welcomed by the revamped homepage: a centerpiece slider display that showcases stunning artwork. This component captures user interest but also epitomizes the wonderful diversity of American art. With its emphasis on visuals, the website simulates the experience of walking around a gallery that will delight casual art lovers and art industry professionals alike.
Creative Customization in Websites
Art Bridges and Clay teamed up to enhance the user experience on the site by modernizing its design. Users can scan and filter based on their individual interests or preferences, creating a personalized experience that is convenient and without exertion. This minimalistic approach encourages visitors to admire the intricacies of the artwork and ensures interaction with the collection.
The functional grid allows users to view multiple items at once. Each item has an accompanying preset that helps users become more acquainted with it. The advanced design not only improves the user experience in navigating the site but also ensures they want to stay on the site for a longer duration, like devoted galleries.
Adapting Polished Art History
Clay crafted unique and bold titles for contemporary art illustrations, making them stand out. Integrating the new colors with the existing number helps improve the diverse tapestry artwork. This combines to ensure they tell their users about Art Bridges as the connecting line between the artists, museums, and the community.
A remarkable particularity of the redesign is the addition of an interactive map showcasing the museums working with Art Bridges around the country. Users can click on the map and gather relevant information about the various institutions, which encourages collaboration and a sense of community.
In addition to simply showing the partner museums, specific areas outline the mission and goals of Art Bridges and the Programmatic Fellowships, which assist institutions in understanding how they can participate.
The Creative Process Behind The Redesign
Clay Global adopted an “artwork first” approach. The agency created custom shutters using items from the museum, such as brochures and exhibition catalogs, and viewed them as works of art. Along with the aesthetic appeal of the website, which was a goal for the foundation, every element incorporated serves the foundation’s mission.
Typography That Connects And Provides Clarity
The foundation’s values — connectivity, partnership, and clarity — are delivered through type, and so the type was strategically chosen. With a serif and sans serif type combination, the website remains sophisticated yet friendly, with a modern feel and a welcoming user experience.
The redesign also improved accessibility, allowing individuals of all abilities to navigate the site with ease. This design allows more audiences to experience Art Bridges and engage with its mission.
Merging Aesthetics with Functionality
The new website looks fantastic, but it also has functionality that serves a purpose. The redesigned program pages enable easy navigation for prospective museum partners and provide intuitive, actionable steps to foster collaboration. This artistry and practicality build trust and engagement, strengthening Art Bridges’s position as a dominant player in the nonprofit art world.
The design team’s favorite part is the homepage slider, which seamlessly integrates visitors into American art with smooth animation. The design is responsive, ensuring an effortless experience across devices like desktops, tablets, and phones.
Allows for Modification and Improvement
The holistic website structure allows for modification and improvement during the redesign of Art Bridges, making it more innovative than ever. Art Bridges Foundation continues to grow and the evolution of the website is ensured with simple upgrades and content additions. This helps the platform remain modern and pertinent, fulfilling the foundation’s goals for years to come.
Clay Global’s work on Art Bridges exemplifies the best strategic design a nonprofit can have. The focus on visual storytelling, accessibility, and usability transforms the website from a simple American art showcase to an engaging platform that enables collaboration and community enhancement through the museums.
