With more than 200 years as Europe’s oldest Chinese community, Liverpool’s Chinatown is looking for brand ideas which will both reflect its history and support its continued growth.
The overall brand project follows a study by Liverpool City Council’s Business Support Service, which gathered feedback from local businesses, community groups and stakeholders to unearth ideas and insights into Chinatown and its future.
Following recommendations from these discussions, a creative brief has now been published by the council, with the idea of a new logo as a central part of the process.
Concepts should be submitted to [email protected] by 24th November – for full details on how to submit, click here.
A shortlist will be compiled by 9 December and shared on social media for a public vote until 16 December.
As well as the public vote, Chinatown businesses and core community members will be voting.
The winning logo will then be developed by a professional creative team in collaboration with the artist, as part of a full Liverpool Chinatown brand strategy, which will roll out next year.
The project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the lead authority.
Liverpool’s cabinet member for growth and economy, Cllr Nick Small, said: “This is a chance for anyone to put forward an idea for a design for a logo which will help take Chinatown forward, and create a lasting legacy
“The key focus is to present a brand that is meaningful, memorable and unique, and true to the soul of Liverpool Chinatown – with a story that can be appreciated by a diverse audience.
“We’re not looking for ideas to be polished and professional, and they can be submitted in all kinds of formats. The important thing is that they reflect what Chinatown is all about.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing what ideas people can come up with.”
The first presence of Chinese people in Liverpool dates back to 1834 when the first vessel direct from China arrived in Liverpool’s docks to trade such goods as silk and cotton wool. Many Chinese immigrants arrived in Liverpool in the late 1860s as a result of Alfred Holt and Company employing large numbers of Chinese seamen while establishing the Blue Funnel Shipping Line.
Chinatown is based in Great George ward in the south of the city centre and has many Chinese businesses, restaurants, supermarkets and facilities for the Chinese community. The area is also notable for its Chinese-style architecture, with the paifang on Nelson Street being the largest, multiple-span arch of its kind outside China.
