8th European Conference for Social Work Research
Client:
The European Social Work Research Association
Brief:
The European Social Work Research Association commissioned us to create a unifying visual identity for their 2018 conference in Edinburgh – requiring a graphic strong enough to front their website, conference publications and promotional materials, yet flexible enough to work across postcards, handouts and a printed book of excerpts. With a desire for a concept that subtly referenced Scotland while remaining abstract and rooted in themes of social connection, we delivered an artwork that encapsulated the spirit of contemporary social work: collaborative, human-centred and future-facing.
Services:
Graphic Design; Publication Design
The European Social Work Research Association [ESWRA] works to create a hub for social work research development, collaboration and exchange across Europe. Their annual European Conference for Social Work Research is the organisation’s largest global event, bringing together academics, practitioners and policymakers to explore innovative approaches to social work.
ESWRA commissioned boom saloon to develop a unifying visual identity and collateral for their 2018 conference in Edinburgh, encompassing everything from the main programme and books of excerpts to invitations, postcards, handouts and the conference website. Requiring the capability of holding both academic rigour and human truth, the project demanded printed forms that honoured social work’s quietly radical mission: to centre dignity, equity and care in a world increasingly shaped by systems that erode them.
Aligned with our studio’s focus on bold, thought-provoking print and typographic solutions, we began by exploring Scotland’s landscapes as a conceptual starting point, reflecting the quiet, reflective nature of care inherent to social work. Our research evolved to embrace vibrancy and dynamism, capturing the eclectic, multicultural audience attending the conference. We experimented with colour, collage and the interplay between analogue and digital mediums to create unexpected highlights within a clean, cool palette. These elements symbolised ESWRA’s commitment to collaboration, innovation and the advancement of social work research – an environment at once familiar yet constantly evolving. The artwork subtly referenced Scotland while remaining abstract and human-centred, offering a visual metaphor for the organisation’s mission to connect people and ideas across borders.
The final visual identity provided a flexible yet striking solution, seamlessly translating across print and digital media. Conference delegates engaged with an identity that felt simultaneously reflective, vibrant and modern, reinforcing ESWRA’s reputation as a hub for collaborative, forward-thinking social work research.
This project demonstrates our ability to translate complex, socially driven concepts into visually compelling publications and collateral. By combining conceptual design, thoughtful use of print and colour and innovative exploration of medium, we delivered a solution that elevated ESWRA’s pivotal conference whilst showcasing our studio’s mission to push what’s possible in print and democratise creativity for good.
