Midtown Kingston Arts District looks to the future with a new name and brand identity.

For nearly a decade, the Midtown Arts District, or MAD for short, has been a cornerstone of the local nonprofit arts infrastructure, advocating, educating, and celebrating the arts and artists in Kingston, Ulster County, and beyond.

This year, as the organization continues to grow its mission and expand its programs and footprint, it recognized an opportunity to evolve its name and signature look to both honor its past and create a bold foundation for the future. Now known as the Midtown Kingston Arts District (MKAD), the nonprofit’s new name and logo celebrate its deep roots in the Midtown community.

“It has been almost ten years since the founders of MKAD took a leap of faith, stepping into a powerful shared vision of a thriving arts community in Midtown Kingston,” said Maggie Inge, Chair of the MKAD Board of Directors. “We are taking the next leap forward by bringing our arts advocacy, educational programs, and events and services under one umbrella. MKAD is now positioned to have an even greater impact in the community, serving the artists and those who live and work in Midtown while welcoming those who visit our city.”

The brand refresh includes new logos, color schemes, and typography for MKAD, its education arm The DRAW, its Youth Workforce Program, and the new 3,000 square foot Neighborhood Print Studio.

To create its new brand identity, MKAD turned to one of its own. The new name, logo, and typography is the work of Jonathan Pfeiffer, a Kingston native and award-winning creative director and graphic designer based in New York City. Jonathan had first-hand experience with The DRAW as a student at Kingston High School, and his strategic renaming and striking, stencil-like logo design is inspired by MKAD’s deep connection to the Midtown community, its arts-for-everyone ethos, and its grass-roots heritage. Pfeiffer explains, “The new logo embodies a connected community — the intersection of streets and people linking Uptown and Downtown together with the support of the Midtown Kingston Arts District.”

The new logo artwork will be the thematic centerpiece of this year’s MKAD Soirée, the organization’s flagship fundraising event, to be held December 4th at Kingston’s historic Senate Garage. Learn more about the event and how you can support MKAD here: https://madkingston.org/mkad-soiree-2024/