Very recently, Mississauga’s premier entertainment venue, The Living Arts Centre, introduced a new logo coinciding with their 20th anniversary. While there was nothing quite “wrong” with their outgoing logo, the new one embodies everything that’s “right” in logo design.

We spoke with Rob Hart, Director, Marketing & Communications about the new logo to get some insight into the change.
“With a mission to promote Arts for life, the Centre plays host to hundreds of performing arts, educational, community, and corporate events and activities each year. The LAC is a dynamic and accessible gathering place for creativity that welcomes more than 400,000 discerning and culturally diverse visitors annually, a total of more than 5 million visitors since officially opening its doors on November 14, 1997, adding an exciting cultural dimension to Mississauga’s City Centre. 
Our new branding is inspired by the facility itself; the vibrant colours are similar to that of the beautiful stained glass windows in the Atrium, representative of the creative arts. Those who frequent the Centre may also notice that the shape of the logo echoes at the beautiful shape and architecture of the building.”

What stands out the most is the connectivity of the letters “LAC” in the new, modern logo. The LAC has always strongly promoted connectivity and inclusiveness and this new logo brings with it a strong identity and symbolism of the arts bringing our diverse community together. 

The colour choice was intentionally made to not include predictable primary colours. Rather, the three carefully chosen colours (done in part with local creative agency, BTI)  blend well together and the undertones of illustrating all the letters being intertwined is creative simplicity at its best.  Yes, there’s an evident level of sophistication and through it all, the message of promoting and encouraging inclusivity is crucial for Hart and his team.
To help with the transition, the logo includes the words “Living Arts Centre Mississauga” to the right in simple, bold text.

The building itself has aged well for the past two decades and will see a light refreshment in the coming months, mostly consisting of tweaks and updates to bring it back to a modern standard for a world-class multi-use entertainment facility.

Another interesting note is how the Living Arts Centre wants its acronym pronounced. Currently, there’s a mix of folks who say “LAC” as well as “L.A.C” and to streamline their branding, they’re looking to have the Living Arts Centre’s short form be pronounced as the acronym "L.A.C" opposed to the single syllable "LAC."

Hart goes on to say “the LAC has more than lived up to the aspirations of the founding visionaries who dreamed of an arts and entertainment facility like no other in Mississauga. Without a doubt, the Centre continues to impress and has provided the perfect setting in which to showcase incredible talent from around the world and around the corner.”

To learn more about LAC’s 20th anniversary programming and to become a member, visit
www.livingartscentre.ca