Submitted by City of Selkirk
Selkirkians know that when someone says, ‘meet you at the Garry’, they’re talking about the Manitoba Avenue movie theatre we all know and love. Now there’s a visual identity to match that affection – a look you’ll soon become as connected with it as you are the downtown icon.
The city partnered with Relish, a brand design company with 25 years experience, to create the logo and branding for the Garry Theatre, which the City of Selkirk purchased in 2021. It is currently being renovated and the city will soon unveil the new independent, community- led, non-profit Garry Theatre that will show movies, host live performances, community events and more.
The community has showed its love and support for the Garry during its transformation, and that kind of care and desire went into the creation of a logo and branding.
“The city welcomed the opportunity to purchase the Garry Theatre and wanted to include the public in its rebirth,” said Mayor Larry Johannson.
“The people of Selkirk were excited and enthusiastic and eager to share their ideas on what the Garry should become. We wanted to make sure that the new logo and branding around the theatre paid tribute to its past but also embraced the future, and I’m proud to say it does.”
A brand that pays tribute and pushes forward
The Garry Theatre brand was conceived with the intention of paying homage to the theatre’s rich history and art deco style while updating the aesthetic to a contemporary standard.
The brand unfolds through thoughtful design choices — from typography and layout to the integration of vintage-inspired patterns built from structural elements. On its surface, the logo is simple, yet when you delve into decisions on everything from font selection to capitalization and even whether the logo would contain two words or three, there’s meaning in the making, and it’s pretty deep meaning at that.
The inclusion of the word ‘the’ in the logo is important. While ‘theatre’ adds class to the name, it’s always been known as ‘the Garry’, especially to those who used the theatre the most.
That all important word ‘the’ also has a look distinct and separate from ‘Garry’ and ‘theatre’.
The “crown” and wordmark are both an adapted, refreshed nod to the theatre’s original awning signage. The crown also pays tribute to the theatre being jewel of downtown and appears throughout the brand, appearing in background patterns and decorative elements.
The colour patterns also connect to the theatres past while keeping things fresh with a mix of warm, vintage hues with clean lines and bold contrasts.
Selkirk CAO, Duane Nicol said that as an enterprise, marketing is a critical element the new non-profit community organisation will need to make the Garry a success.
“We know that having a strong brand identity for the Garry will be key to its success. Our goal for this project is to launch the new theatre as a turn-key venture. We want the board to hit the ground running with all the tools they need to be a successful and sustainable enterprise. This new brand ties the Garry’s history to its future which we hope will make Selkirkians both proud and excited,” said Nicol.
A kids’ logo with big personality
There’s a kids’ logo too, that turns the movie-staple tub of popcorn and crown into the loveable Character that appeals not only children, but adults, too.
“It’s a personality that could one day be a candidate for a mascot said Vanessa Figus, the city’s Manager of Citizen Engagement.
“There’s so much potential for future marketing, merchandise, programming and events”.
Speaking of marketing, T-shirts featuring both the original logo as well as the kids’ logo are available now with more to come at shop.myselkirk.ca. All the profits from the sales of this merchandise will go to support the new Garry Theatre!
The city is anticipating the theatre will open late this year. To stay up to date on all things Garry Theatre, follow @thegarrytheatre on social media and online at GarryTheatre.ca.
