Thanks to everyone who joined us for the Logo Forum on 20 July. We’re now entering the next phase: finalise the design brief and choose a designer.
Why a New Logo?
Our current logo was created in 2005. Since then, a lot has changed:
- We’ve welcomed a new minister
- We’ve refreshed our sanctuary and upgraded the sound and lighting
- We have a new website and a growing presence on social media
- We’ve settled on a new official name: Vancouver Unitarians
- We’re preparing a new sign at the corner of 49th and Oak and updated branding
All of this makes it the right time to refresh our visual identity, and a new logo is a big part of that.
About the Logo Forum
Held on 20 July 2025, the forum included:
- An introduction to logo design (Marcus Hynes)
- Background on why we’re updating the logo (Catherine Stewart)
- An outline of the design process (Christian Malcolm)
- A visual survey of Unitarian and community logos
- Group discussion on symbolism and design direction
Logo Survey
During August and September, the logo team encouraged members to send their feedback. That feedback has been collected and is part of the design brief being submitted to prospective logo designers.
How the Process Works
None of us will be designing the logo, we’re hiring a professional for that. What we’re doing now is building a thoughtful and representative design brief, a document that outlines who we are, what matters to us, and how we want to be represented visually.
A rough timeline – dates my change as we make our way:
- mid August to 21 September: gathering ideas and input through a community-wide feedback process.
- Mid-September: finalise the design brief and choose a designer.
- October: work with a professional graphic designer to explore concepts, refine a direction, and create mock-ups.
- November: A final version of the logo will be shown at the AGM.
The process is being led by the VanU Logo Team, under the direction of the Board. The members of the team are Louise Bunn, Marcus Hynes, Christian Malcolm, Derrick O’Keefe, and Catherine Stewart and Tamiko Suzuki