Shared Lives Shetland

Gaada was recently commissioned by Shared Lives Shetland to develop a branding and design project that enhances the visual identity of this community support service, whilst also championing the work of a local Shetland Artist.

Shared Lives Shetland, a service dedicated to personalized support for individuals, sought to launch their new service with a distinctive visual identity. They turned to Gaada, to help bring their vision to life.

One of the standout features of this collaboration is the incorporation of "Andy's Hand," a unique font designed by Gaada and artist Andy Anderson, into the Shared Lives Shetland branding. This font, originally made for Andy's famous Shetland comic series featuring Detective Barry Tait, adds a personal and heartwarming touch to the brand.

“Shared Lives Shetland has a clear aim of supporting people to live a life that’s right for them. We take pride in our values and commitment to making a difference wherever we can. We have long admired the partnerships between Gaada and local artists. Incorporating Andy’s Hand into our promotional materials and knowing our spend has supported in part the printing of Andy’s brilliant comic is an extra special bonus for us.”

- Jane, Shared Lives Manager

The project included a licensing agreement for the use of Andy's Hand, which generates a licensing fee that supports Andy's continued artistic endeavors. The agreement underpins the spirit of partnership that has defined Gaada’s profit-share model with its artist editions. Increasingly, organisations are asking Gaada to facilitate design-based commissions in collaboration with members of its neurodivergent creative community. It’s very exciting for us to be able to create frameworks like this which further inclusion around the types of artists that are paid for their amazing work.

For this particular project, Gaada took the opportunity to create a set of brand assets, including textures, typographic doodles, color palettes, and more, that would be essential for Shared Lives Shetland's branding. These assets were delivered in a Digital Brand Kit, along with some light training that now enables Shared Lives Shetland to use them effectively for their everyday graphic needs.

The project's tangible outcomes include the creation of promotional leaflets designed using the assets, in collaboration with Jane at Shared Lives Shetland. These leaflets were printed using soy-based inks at the Toogs Artist Workshop in two colors, now serve as valuable promotional materials throughout Shetland.

This partnership between Gaada and Shared Lives Shetland showcases what can be achieved when art and community support come together. It showcases Gaada's commitment to extending its impact beyond conventional funding models and highlights the power of creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity.