One of Manchester’s most important cultural institutions is betting on an elegant reinvention of one of the city’s most recognisable cultural brands after more than two decades.
The Hallé Orchestra today unveiled a bold new identity designed to modernise the 168-year-old organisation while helping it connect with a new generation of audiences.”
The rebrand lands just a week before the Hallé announces its 2026/27 concert season and marks one of the most significant visual changes in the organisation’s recent history.
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Created in collaboration with Manchester-based EDIT Brand Studio and audience research specialists Indigo, the new look is intended to honour the orchestra’s 168-year heritage while repositioning the Manchester institution for the next generation of concertgoers.
At the centre of the redesign is a reimagined version of the Hallé’s iconic “H” – a sweeping letterform first introduced in the 1960s and now redeveloped into a more fluid visual device by lettering artist Dan Forster.
The updated symbol has also been designed to resemble an infinity mark, intended to reflect what the Hallé describes as the “constant innovation” behind the orchestra’s future ambitions.
The wider identity draws heavily from Manchester itself, with a new colour palette inspired by the city’s brick, stone, tiles and industrial metals – from The Bridgewater Hall to the orchestra’s spaces in Ancoats, including Hallé St Peter’s and Hallé at St Michael’s.
Fresh photography by Drew Forsyth also aims to present the orchestra and its musicians in “new and creative ways” while remaining rooted in locations connected to the Hallé and the city.
Alongside the new identity, the Hallé has also launched a refreshed website developed with EDIT and digital design agency Cog, featuring a redesigned homepage and updated user journey.
The organisation said the rebrand follows extensive consultation with staff, players and audiences to better understand how the Hallé could continue welcoming new and returning audiences across Greater Manchester and beyond.
The Hallé’s wider community and education work currently reaches more than 90,000 people annually, including 40,000 children and young people.
David Butcher, chief executive of the Hallé, said: “Reimagining an iconic brand like the Hallé’s, with our incredibly loyal audiences and notable history, is always an intimidating task.
“We are so grateful to our community of supporters and our talented partners who worked so brilliantly with us to get to this point.
“Our new brand really captures both the enduring spirit of our rich history, as well as reflecting our bold vision for the future.
“Not only will this provide practical tools to help us be even more accessible to as wide a range of people as possible, but it is a statement of purpose and our belief that music is for everyone.”
Karen Hughes, creative director at EDIT Brand Studio, added: “The Hallé’s story began as a beautiful gift when Sir Charles Hallé founded his groundbreaking orchestra right here in Manchester, bringing world-class music to people’s doorstep.
“168 years later, our task wasn’t to reinvent the Hallé, but to help the Hallé continue to pass this incredible gift of music on.
“And it’s this idea of continuation that is central to the brand evolution, with an identity that nods to the past whilst feeling more relevant to the audiences of today, and the ones still to come.”
