Total Solar Eclipse 2024 — Community Art & Engagement Campaign

Creative Direction, Art Direction, Community Engagement Project Design Lead

Hamilton County Tourism planned an extensive, community-based awareness campaign for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse to create a cohesive visual identity system. This was intentionally designed to empower local businesses and partners to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime event. I led creative direction and art direction for the project, combining public art, design of a toolkit, and collaborative partner engagement over a full year leading up to the eclipse.

Mural art by Andrea Haydon of Studio Haydon

Process & Approach

In anticipation of a rare Total Solar Eclipse, Central Indiana prepared to welcome thousands of visitors to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime event.

I led a year-long creative campaign focused on building community awareness and encouraging residents and businesses to prepare. Working with local artist Andrea Haydon, we created artwork that would establish a unified visual presence across the county.

My approach centered on creating public art and an accessible brand identity system designed to empower local businesses, attractions, and organizations. This was intended to empower businesses to participate and profit in their own ways.

My Role

  • Creative & Art Direction: Led a local artist in the design of the campaign’s concept and artwork. I led in establishing the campaign’s visual identity and tone

  • Design Leadership: Recruited, hired, and collaborated with artist Andrea Haydon (Studio Haydon) to develop the art

  • Toolkit & Resource Development: Designed and produced a comprehensive Art Usage & Guidelines PDF to ensure art was used consistently, while allowing businesses some creative license. The toolkit included a Merchandising Guide with production information

  • Production Guidance: A support guide to empower partners in their implementation of the artwork, including recommended vendors, favoring local vendors when possible, for signage, print, and other promotional products

  • Community Engagement: Delivered the toolkit to partners across sectors, from small businesses to social services, and provided ongoing consultation and support to ensure ease of use

  • Stakeholder Collaboration: Represented the creative team in Local Organizing Committee (LOC) meetings for a full year leading up to the event, also providing creative support for these meetings when needed

Project Overview

The overarching goal of this project was to empower local voices by providing a cohesive creative system, and not just a top-down marketing campaign.

I led the organization in creating a visual identity that honored both the cosmic nature of the event and the local character of Hamilton County, Indiana. The artwork, inspired by vintage eclipse posters and historic Sanborn maps of the region, was designed to scale beautifully across murals, signage, merchandise, and digital assets.

To support implementation, I designed a detailed Art Usage & Guidelines PDF — a user-friendly document that:

📌 Explained the brand identity philosophy
📌 Provided clear usage rules to ensure consistency
📌 Offered guidance on font usage, logo placement, and application flexibility
📌 Recommended local and online production vendors
📌 Included a Merchandising Guide empowering businesses to produce products for sale (stickers, apparel, tote bags, coasters, etc.)

This toolkit was distributed to a wide network of local businesses and community organizations, equipping them with the tools and resources to use the artwork effectively. I remained actively involved throughout the year, attending LOC meetings, gathering partner feedback, and offering personalized support.

Outcome

The campaign effectively raised awareness for residents and allowed businesses to prepare for visitors, generating a highly visible buzz across Hamilton County in the months leading up to the eclipse.

  • Almost 90,000 visitors from all over the world came to view the eclipse in Hamilton County

  • Eight murals were installed in five cities — Carmel, Cicero, Fishers, Noblesville, and Westfield — providing iconic public art and photo opportunities

  • Dozens of local businesses adopted the artwork across storefront displays, promotional items, digital channels, and limited-edition merchandise

  • Nine official viewing events were held across four cities

  • The Art Usage Guide and Merchandising Guide enabled small businesses to create a variety of unique eclipse-themed products that they could choose to sell, supporting local economic impact during the event

  • The campaign fostered a sense of community and local pride, positioning Hamilton County as an elevated destination and a connected community

The project serves as a model for how creative direction can extend beyond traditional marketing, building inclusive, flexible design systems that invite participation and celebrate a sense of place.

Credits

Mural art by Andrea Haydon of Studio Haydon
Community Engagement Project Lead: Sarah Buckner