Six Years of Allied Media Conference Branding and Communications

WITH ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS

Collaborative design and production for annual conference branding.

The Allied Media Conference (AMC) was a transformative gathering that explored the intersections of media, art, technology, education, and social justice. The annual gathering, hosted in Detroit by Allied Media Projects, evolved over its two-decade history from a modest zine-focused event into a nationally recognized platform for media-based organizing and visionary community building. Each year, the conference brought together diverse voices to share tools, practices, and strategies that envisioned and cultivated a more just, creative, and collaborative world.

A woman carries a child into a building. Allied Media Conference branded flags flank the doors and branded decals adorn the glass windows.
Allied Media conference program books from 2012 - 2018

In 2012 The Work Department began a partnership with AMC to design and develop its annual conference identity and communication tools. Our approach to this work was guided by themes central to the AMC: connection, transformation, and participation. Through year-long participatory design processes, we collaborated with conference attendees and staff from across the country to understand their visions for the conference’s messaging and design. This iterative approach allowed us to craft visuals and tools that embodied the conference's values and addressed the needs of its growing community.

Each year, we developed a new visual identity that reflected that year’s unique themes and spirit. These identities informed a suite of print and digital materials, including program books, wayfinding signage, social media assets, website graphics, and more. Our designs ensured that AMC attendees could navigate the event with ease while immersing themselves in a welcoming and inclusive environment. From the bold banners welcoming participants at the entrance to the detailed program books outlining the event’s complex schedule, every piece was designed to reinforce accessibility and connection. In addition, we developed a toolkit of visual assets, enabling conference speakers to brand their own content in alignment with the event’s identity—an open-source approach that amplified the AMC’s collaborative ethos and reach.

20th Anniversary

Person carrying a child into a conference center with banners that read 'Allied Media Conference' and 'Create, Connect, Transform'

Our work extended beyond annual deliverables to create a foundational visual library and participatory design framework that could sustain AMC’s legacy. By building on the conference’s rich visual history and engaging participants in the design process, we created a platform for future iterations to evolve while staying true to its core principles.

Through this partnership, we helped AMC deepen its impact, ensuring that its visuals and messaging supported logistical needs while amplifying its mission to create transformative, community-driven change. In 2020, the conference was entirely virtual due to the pandemic. In 2024, the Allied Media Projects sunsetted the AMC, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire and nourish communities for generations to come.

PHOTOS BY

Ara Howrani

Four people sit on a stage while a man who is standing translates in American Sign Language. An Allied Media Conference banner is on stage to the right. An image of the AMC 20th Anniversary logo is projected behind them.
People attending a conference or event, with a poster on the wall showing photographs of diverse groups and activities, including a group photo with a sign 'Allied Media Projects' and smaller images of people engaging in various activities.
Cover of a conference booklet with large number 20 made of crumpled gold foil, indicating the 20th Annual Allied Media Conference, held June 14-17, 2018, in Detroit.
A classroom or conference room setting with three women engaging in conversation. One woman with short hair and glasses sitting on a chair is gesturing while speaking. Another woman with glasses and a striped shirt is sitting at a desk, listening attentively. A third woman with short dark hair and wearing a yellow blazer is standing at the front near a blackboard, smiling. There is a poster for an media conference on the wall behind her, and the event appears to be at Wayne State University.
Graphic promoting the 19th Annual Allied Media Conference in Detroit from June 15 to 18, 2017 with abstract shapes, a blue background, and colorful accents.
Panel discussion on stage with four people, three women and one man, sitting at a table with microphones, in front of an audience in a conference room. A large screen above displays names, and a sign on the right reads "Allied Media Conference."
Close-up of a person holding a graph paper notebook and a tube of colored sticky notes. The person's arm and hand are visible, with the background showing part of a desk and the person's casual clothing.
Person holding a conference guide and pen, sitting on the floor at an event with other attendees, with a backpack nearby.
Graphic poster for the 18th Annual Allied Media Conference, held June 16-19, 2016, in Detroit. The poster features a stylized map of Michigan with colorful abstract mountain shapes at the bottom.
People standing behind a yellow banner at the Allied Media Conference, which features a partial map of Detroit and the organization's website URL.
A man in a yellow conference T-shirt with a blue lanyard conversations with a woman holding a notepad.
Bulletin board with yellow background and blue text asking, "What do you want to see at the AMC that isn't here now?" There are pink, blue, and other colored paper notes taped to the board and other note cards on black pocket organizers attached to the wall.
People attending the 17th Annual Allied Media Conference. The conference poster behind them displays the URL alliemedia.org/amc and the hashtag #AMC2015.
A person's hand holding several green books or boxes labeled 'AMC2015 PROGRAM' on their spines.
Sign for the State HALL & Deroy at the Allied Media Conference, June 18-21, 2015, on green grass.
A group of five diverse young adults at a registration or information desk at a conference, with a woman in a blue shirt sitting behind the table and a colorful bulletin board in the background.
Three people sit in front of an Allied Media Conference poster. They are listening to something off camera.
A woman on stage at a media conference speaking into a microphone, with a large screen behind her displaying the words 'adrienne maree brown' and a sign on the side reading 'Allied Media Conference Detroit'. The audience is seated in front of the stage.
Conference banner hanging inside a modern building with large windows, featuring the logo and name of the 20th Annual Allied Media Conference in Detroit, with abstract yellow, teal, and black design elements.

19th Annual

Two young adults smiling and posing in front of a blue conference backdrop with logos that say ALLIED, MENTAL, CONFERENCE, and DETROIT.
A blue fabric with yellow text that reads 'GET READ STAY READY' and circular logos. The fabric is placed next to a black object.
A group of diverse people standing on stage in front of a large screen that says 'Welcome to Detroit, Detroit Narrative Agency'.

18th Annual

Large group of diverse people attending the Allied Media Conference in a spacious indoor venue with exposed concrete walls. Some people are seated while others stand or walk around, and many wear conference badges around their necks. A banner with the event's name and map of Michigan hangs from the second floor balcony.

17th Annual

A man and a woman at a conference registration table, with a large blue and green conference poster behind them.
A person holding a microphone, speaking or singing, wearing a blue t-shirt with yellow text that reads 'GET READY STAY READY' and a black baseball cap with a red brim.
A political sign with a blue silhouette of a country and the word "DEROY" with an arrow pointing left, on a lawn next to a sidewalk.
A live performance on stage with two singers, a woman on the left and a man on the right, both singing into microphones. The stage has a green background with a large hanging display of screens showing the words "CONNECT," "CREATE," and "TRANSFORM." There is an audience in the foreground.
Design for the 17th Annual Allied Media Conference held in Detroit from June 18 to 21, 2015, featuring geometric shapes and vibrant colors.