BBC Proms
From 2023–2024 I worked in the BBC Proms team as a publications designer, I produced printed and digital programmes for the Proms festival and for the 6 BBC owned Orchestras and Choirs. I assisted the Senior Designer on the Proms guide and lead the design of the mini-guide–a 60-page condensed version. The publications team is very collaborative; the designers and editors work closely to produce over 210 unique programmes all with rolling deadlines. To manage this diverse and substantial workload we followed a production schedule, where we all had individual responsibilities, but also had an overview of the entire project and other people’s schedules to lend a hand.
To give you an overview of my work cycle during the Proms season, I produced at least one programme layout per day using copy and images selected by the editor. I then circulated the design to the team for critique and amended the layout from the previous day based on feedback. Programmes from the previous week are returned after editing and proofing to prepare for print. During this task I was required to have a meticulous eye for detail, cleaning up the typography, and ensuring the rag is neat and contains no widows or orphans. I would check bleeds and image resolutions before sending for final sign-off, then print. Throughout all design tasks I worked to brand guidelines.
I also assisted with the BBC Proms guide, a magazine-like book which is published ahead of the Proms season. The guide contains the Proms concert listings as well as articles about the themes of the upcoming festival and classical music in general. My contribution was to create page layouts, assist with image artworking, and occasionally create editorial collages.
Outside my immediate team, I also worked closely with other departments. For example, I worked with the marketing team to produce materials such as printed posters, social media assets, and merchandise–utilising and developing on the Proms season brand assets created by BBC Creative. I also regularly liaiseed with external print contractors, to check physical and digital proofs.
Proms branding designed by BBC Creative
Client: BBC Proms
Type of Work: Publication, Layout, Social and Marketing
Medium: Print, Paper, Digital
Typefaces: BBC Reith, Larken
The BBC Proms programmes come in different shapes and sizes, each one with unique editorial content and images. We also occasionally produced bespoke designs which adapt our usual Proms style for a different audience.
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While working in Proms team, one of my tasks leading up to the festival was to create the Proms Mini Guide; designed in Adobe InDesign with copy provided by the Proms’ sub-editor. This free 60-page publication was handed out around London at tube stations as a way to promote the Proms to a wider audience.
The A6 mini guide is chock-full of concert listings, artist images, and information about the Royal Albert Hall. To handle such a large amount of information, I maintained the Proms ‘house’ paragraph and character styles and combined them with appealing and vibrant imagery that makes sits alongside copy; using text wraps around images to produce an outcome that is a bit looser and more playful next to the main guide.
Proms branding designed by BBC Creative; Guide cover collage designed by Reenie Basova.
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During the 2024 Proms season I designed a spatial graphic which spanned the inside corridor of the Royal Albert Hall. This depicted a timeline of every Composer who’s work would be featured at the festival. It also contained bitesized pieces of text for historical context, as well as Proms branding and marketing messaging. Working with such a vast data set, this challenging project required me to devise a grid system that worked across multiple exhibition board sizes, to ensure consistent spacing and hierarchy within the content.
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During the Proms season, both designers create around 45 programmes each. Every programme contains unique content and images but follows a common style and interchangeable template. On occasion, the Proms team collaborates with other brands or departments within the BBC. In 2023 the Proms hosted Horrible Histories for two ‘Orrible Opera’ concerts. I was tasked with creating a bespoke style and template that would appeal to a younger audience while staying true to the classic Proms house style.
Using the Proms style as a base, I increased the type size and leading, creating new title styles based on the HH brand. I injected colour into the pages with HH illustrations and photo cutouts on clean white backgrounds. The Prom’s narrator (foul-mouthed puppet called Rattus) occasionally interjects with a monologue–for these pages, I wanted to visually disrupt the flow of the programme. To do this I incorporated pages with full-colour backgrounds and their own messy and jagged ‘speech’ font. The final programme, therefore, retained the clean style of the Proms, but also had the signature HH humour and flavour. The final product was approved by all stakeholders.
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During the 2024 Proms, I had the opportunity to work with Cbeebies on their Wildlife Jamboree concert. Using illustrations CBeebies supplied from their different TV Shows, I designed a Proms programme, complete with activity sections on each spread.
The narrative of the book has the reader follow various characters such as Duggee and Bluey, as they learn about wildlife and music. Along the way, the reader ticks off their Duggee badges as they complete activities. This theme of Beavers/Cubs badges formed the design direction for the colourful image and text frames with chunky, rounded strokes that are layered and scattered around the pages.
Illustrations supplied by CBeebies.
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From January to June before the Proms season starts, my main task is to create weekly concert programme layouts for the BBC orchestras and choirs. There are 6 in total: BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Each orchestra has its own branding, programme styling, and layout, but all use the BBC Reith typeface family as a base for the styling.
Orchestra branding and cover images are provided by the individual orchestras.
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