Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees

Arts & CultureEntertainmentAwards & Events

May 11

Kunste Onbeperk (NPC), under which the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK), Klein Karoo Klassique and Teksmark falls, approached Breinstorm Brand Architects (BBA) to provide strategic input on a turnaround strategy, as well as a complete brand refresh.

The post-COVID landscape has placed immense pressure on national arts festivals to perform at the same level as they did pre-COVID. BBA’s strategy development thus centred around adapting the festival to be relevant and at the forefront of the changing environment, whilst retaining the loyal audience the festival has enjoyed for years.

The brief

The first of Kunste Onbeperk’s projects, the KKNK, takes place annually over the Easter weekend in Oudtshoorn. For the arts festival, BBA assisted with a complete vision and mission analysis and rewrite, built a new website, designed all touch point collateral, initiated strategic partnerships between KKNK and other stakeholders, conceptualised and produced a brand campaign and provided strategic and creative input on the festival’s offering.

Through the annual festival and other projects, Kunste Onbeperk wants to make a constructive contribution to nation-building by being a credible and honest player in the arts. The company aims to achieve this through sustainable platforms, innovation, building and maintaining networks, contributing to economic and social development, as well as providing opportunities for the transferring of skills, through the arts.

The Karoo Kaarte project, a research initiative with deliverables like a play, workshops for children, an app exploring and telling lost stories in Oudtshoorn, zines and music night, is an example of how initiatives from the KKNK contributed to community building within the arts sector.

The transformation

Die hele ketoetie – allésaam /The whole shebang – alltogether campaign

The campaign for the 2023 KKNK festival bought together some of the country’s top creatives, like creative directors, flower stylists, photographers, video producers and editors, to collaborate on a visually impressive and memorable execution. The campaign spoke to the different experiences of South Africans and how these viewpoints can be expressed at the KKNK.

Refresh CI, logo and brand voice

A completely new visual identity was created for the KKNK brand, speaking to the new fresh audience it wanted to attract, whilst keeping the key brand identity in mind.

Strategic input

Through strategic workshops with the KKNK board, initiating partnerships with collaborators and sponsors, and delivering input to the programme, BBA provided the tools for KKNK to use to adapt to the ever-changing festival landscape.