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Converting Artistic Legacy into Public Engagement

Challenge:

The Ai Weiwei Center for Humanity is the brainchild of the iconic artist and activist Ai Weiwei. The center aims to utilize his extensive body of work and international reputation to actively involve people around the world in human rights issues. This initiative is designed to uphold human dignity and amplify citizens' voices globally. Grounded in Ai Weiwei’s intertwined artistic and political legacies and driven by his global influence, expertise, and innovation, the center would aim to develop solutions for these complex issues. I was engaged in helping bring this concept firmly into the research and design phase when key partnerships would be secured. While Ai's name and likeness are globally recognized, the project itself needed to be formed into a clear and compelling shape, especially as it would be the first of its kind.

Approach:

Translating Ai's artistic and political vision into a commercial offering was a collaborative effort with Ai's team. Together, we defined what was possible, ensuring that everyone's input was valued and considered.

Three considerations needed to be aligned in order to distill the breadth and reach of his work:

• What might engage the general population?

• What might inspire the right partners to commit to the Center?

• What matched Ai's bold vision?

Results:

I engaged a small team to help me craft a preliminary brand book, messaging strategy, and landing page to give the project coherence; this would be key to empowering Ai's team as they worked to forge key relationships with corporate, foundation, and individual partners.

The Ai Weiwei Center for Humanity's outreach continues to lock in foundational elements, from a site in Berlin to corporate partners. 

Client Feedback:

"We're doing something unprecedented. It's got a lot of moving parts and we're operating in multiple industries simultaneously. Tasha's ability to help us forge a path is remarkable. She is completely unintimidated by unknowns and complexities, remaining open-minded and curious about possibilities without becoming distracted. Because of this, we've advanced faster and more confidently than I thought possible. Tasha created the messaging and positioning that not only ignited our group of stakeholders, but gave our team its strategic focus."

KAREN LAUTANEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Image credits: Ai Weiwei, Karen Lautanen