Why hide your light under a bushel? Lessons in signage for arts spaces

The power of art often lies in its subtleties, but when it comes to promoting your arts space, the opposite is almost always true.
arts signage: street view of PICA (Perth Contemporary Arts Space) showing a large green sign saying "Art Lives Here".

Three weeks ago, when Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) opened its doors for its first exhibitions of 2024, many of its most frequent visitors entered its building in an entirely new way.

For Gothe-Snape’s PICA entrance commission, the artist has used the same green colour featured in Cripps’ work to transform PICA’s previous side door bump-in entrance into its stunning new green-glowing front door entrance space.

Importantly, PICA also decided to carry through the chosen “birch green” colour to its new exterior signage, which boldly points visitors to its new entrance with a clear and simple message that ‘Art Lives Here’.

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ArtsHub's Arts Feature Writer Jo Pickup is based in Perth. An arts writer and manager, she has worked as a journalist and broadcaster for media such as the ABC, RTRFM and The West Australian newspaper, contributing media content and commentary on art, culture and design. She has also worked for arts organisations such as Fremantle Arts Centre, STRUT dance, and the Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub of WA, as well as being a sessional arts lecturer at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).