Reimagining the digital home of Toronto’s centre for creative music

Screenshot of the landing homepage of The Music Gallery's website, set against a purple background. The design features a rich interface, set in a black and white palette with purple accents. The page uses an unconventional layout that staggers a central photo of a musician at the drums with two other overlapping images, creating a layered visual effect. Below the main navigation bar runs a marquee strip containing a welcoming statement about The Music Gallery's commitment to exploration. The design invites visitors to delve into a curated experience, with a sidebar calling attention to further engagement options such as 'Login', 'Tickets', and 'Memberships'.

The Music Gallery, a globally-acclaimed center for creative music established in 1976 in Toronto, is a sanctuary for the exploration of diverse narratives and sounds. I had the privilege of re-designing their identity, website and promotional materials with my former team at And Also Too and web developer Jean-Philippe Ung.

Our goal was to recreate the atmosphere of live concerts, the experience of rifling through vinyl in vintage shops, and the immersive thrill of reading music journals. To this end, the new identity system foregrounds The Music Gallery’s iconic concert photography, combining it with neon glows, unconventional editorial layouts, interactive galleries, and a website with a tactile, paper-like feel.

The new site showcases a vast programming archive and a collection of rich media, covering events, journal articles, videos, music recordings, a live stage site, a members’ area, a poster archive, and more.

with

The Music Gallery
And Also Too

Una Lee (art direction)
Zahra Agjee (studio coordination)
Jean-Philippe Ung (web development)

my role

Graphic design
Web design
UX
Project management

Screenshot of the events feed on The Music Gallery's homepage, set against a purple background. At the top, the section is labeled "Coming Up" in striking black font, adjacent to an "All Events" button. Below, three distinct event cards are displayed in a staggered formation, each highlighted by vibrant, neon artwork cover. Each event card contains the event title, date and time, and a gradient-glow button that reads ‘Open’. The cards’ arrangement creates an engaging sense of movement, inviting visitors to explore more.

Screenshot of The Music Gallery's 'Community Safety' page. It features a banner with the page heading in bold, white text against a black background. Below the header, there are quick access links to The Music Gallery’s COVID policy, Community Agreements, and Feedback section. The page prominently displays a candid image from Pauline Oliveros' ‘Deep Listening’ sessions, a group of people embracing each other in a circle.

Image of two smartphones set against a purple background. Each displays different calls to action on The Music Gallery’s homepage. The left phone shows a black FAQ section with the heading "Have a question?" and a prompt to read the FAQ. Above sits a photo of a musician playing the flute on stage. The right phone highlights the call to action "Support Our Work", with a message explaining donations help create opportunities for artists. Above sits a photo of Bear Witness singing into a microphone. Both screens feature a similar color scheme with purple accents and neon glows, aligning with the website's overall design.

Screenshot of the 'Current Season' landing page of The Music Gallery's website. The season's date (2021-2023) is prominently displayed in bold white text against a rich black background. Beneath this header, an abstract artwork flows across the page, with organic, wave-like forms in a kaleidoscope of neon pinks, greens, purples, and blues. This digital tapestry creates a sense of rhythmic movement, reminiscent of music waves.

Screenshot of The Music Gallery's journal article page 'History Series: Trichy & Suba Sankaran'. The title is presented in white bold letters against the site's dark background and black navigation bar. To the right, the article features a prominent photograph of musician Trichy Sankaran in traditional Indian attire, exuding calm and contemplation. Information about the article, including the publishing date, the category 'Interview', and the publisher's name, David Dacks, is displayed on a right sidebar.

Interactive effects

Interactive effects on the site incorporate a flipping motion on staggered photos and calls to action, evoking the experience of browsing through records in a shop.

Unconventional layouts

Staggered, unconventional editorial layouts mirror The Music Gallery’s dedication to disrupting music conventions.

Neon glows

Neon glows accentuate interactive elements throughout the site, inviting exploration and introducing moments of delight.