Our Approach to Fresh Artists Nonprofit Web Design

We recently had the pleasure of launching our newly minted brand for Fresh Artists, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering young artists and supporting arts education in public schools. One of the main ways for any nonprofit to educate and generate interest in their mission is through their website. The old Fresh Artists site was lacking in hierarchy, flexibility, and brand strategy. Good Bones to the rescue!

As we approached the redesign of the website for Fresh Artists, our goal was to identify and enhance their primary user’s experience, streamline content management for their internal team, and elevate the new brand through a polished and interactive site design.

Switching to Webflow as a Development Platform

Fresh Artists previous site was built on a defunct platform that stifled their ability to update content and add new pages. As an organization that wears many hats, it was important for their team members to be able to take the reins of the website and keep it up to date with fresh content. We recently wrote about how Good Bones Studio made the switch to using Webflow as our sole web development platform, specifically because of the benefits it brings our clients in managing content and editing copy or images.

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With a little bit of training, anyone can become an independent web developer using Webflow.

Managing Content with Webflow

Fresh Artists is always innovating on their programs in support of art education in public schools. They required the flexibility to update quickly shifting event details or add recent images to page galleries. By developing their site on Webflow, we empowered Fresh Artists to independently manage their program content more efficiently by using the powerful CMS which would have been impossible under their previous web platform.

Designing Pages with Webflow

For our client’s who have a keen eye for design, Webflow’s no-code design interface enables non-designers to easily adjust page layout, edit copy, and update imagery. By switching the site to Webflow, the Fresh Artists team has been able to flex those design muscles and craft page content without having to dig into lines of code. This flexibility ensures that the website can evolve with the organization’s needs, keeping information current, engaging, and personal.

Reorganizing the Sitemap for Nonprofit Audiences

Prioritizing Fresh Artists' Nonprofit User Paths

Our first order of business was to take a hard look at the site content and dig into their operational model. We uncovered that the previous site was forcing users to self-identify too early and important stakeholders could miss out on top-level brand messaging. After several strategic conversations, we reorganized the sitemap to help funnel visitors into their unique user paths further into the site:

For teachers, we wanted to make sure they obtained important information on obtaining grants and participating in art programs. For corporate partners, we directed them to a page specifically about the corporate art program that enables them to purchase artwork that supports the nonprofit. For concerned citizens and the community-at-large, we crafted a user path that allowed further exploration of the galleries and informing them of Fresh Artists mission, eventually driving them to a call to action.

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Opportunities for Dynamic Web Content

The previous site forced Fresh Artists to manually build pages from scratch. It is an important step in the web design process to identify opportunities for dynamically populated content, or in other words, when can we templatize pages to make page creation simpler? From program events to news article mentions, we built several templated pages for Fresh Artists to showcase their programs and impact in a more engaging and visually appealing way. This approach also allows for easier updates and consistent branding across the site.

Redesigning Web Pages to Enhance User Experience

We redesigned key pages to streamline the user experience, guiding visitors towards calls to action (CTAs) across the site. This redesign encourages users to engage with the nonprofit, whether by donating, getting involved, or exploring the student art collection.

Utilizing Children’s Artwork throughout the Web Design

Just like our approach to the branding design, one of our main goals was to celebrate the contribution of the student artists and use their artwork to drive the visual design of the entire website. To achieve this, we developed a custom CMS feature and page layout that allows the Fresh Artists team to select and prominently featured student art on top-level pages. This approach lets the beautiful artwork drive the visual experience of the site and highlights the talent fostered by Fresh Artists’ work and mission.

Using Custom Animations and Page Interactions to Enhance Branding Presence

The website redesign was a fantastic opportunity to build upon the new branding design by utilizing Webflow’s powerful animation features to create a truly magical user experience. To impress visitors and elevate the Fresh Artists brand, we incorporated custom scrolling animations, page loading interactions, and seamless hover animations that reinforces the flexible grid of the brand identity. These elements add a dynamic and professional quality to the site; donors and corporate partners alike will have confidence that Fresh Artists is a competent and reliable nonprofit to contribute and partner with.

Conclusion: A Thoughtful Website Redesign Empowers Nonprofits

No doubt about it, redesigning and building the Fresh Artists’ website using Webflow has resulted in a more user-friendly, visually engaging, and easily manageable site. Our focus on prioritizing user paths, celebrating student artwork, and incorporating dynamic content and custom animations has significantly enhanced the online presence of this inspiring nonprofit. At Good Bones Studio, we are so proud to support Fresh Artists in their mission to empower young artists and advocate for arts education.

For more information about our web design and development services, or to discuss how we can help your nonprofit, contact us today.

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