GRAPHIC DESIGN

Ascension Church Hulme is a community-focused church, arts venue and neighbourhood hub based in Manchester.

The organisation required a new identity system that could support its growing range of activities while reflecting its commitment to community, creativity and hospitality. The project included logo design, visual identity development, website design, signage and marketing materials.

The identity was informed by themes of refuge, belonging and welcome, drawing inspiration from the church’s history as a place of sanctuary. In particular, the project referenced the period when Ascension provided refuge to Sri Lankan asylum seeker Viraj Mendis, an event that became a significant part of both the church’s story and the wider history of sanctuary movements in the UK.

The resulting identity balances clarity and warmth, creating a flexible visual system capable of supporting community programmes, arts events, public communications and everyday church life. Designed to work across digital and physical environments, the system helps present Ascension as both a civic resource and a creative gathering place.

The project demonstrates how branding can communicate values as effectively as services, creating a visual language rooted in both place and purpose.

See also Movement Day, HeartEdge and Westminster Associates for similar brand work.