Afropunk Music Festival
Brand Identity & Web Design [Graphic Designer & Creative Direction]
BRIEF
I refreshed the visual identity for Afropunk, the Brooklyn-based music and arts festival founded to create space for BIPOC alternative-minded punk fans. This concept brings the festival back to its punk roots through a visual system inspired by the energetic DIY spirit of punk culture.
PROBLEM
Over the years, as the Afropunk music festival grew, its identity began to feel more aligned with the tone of mainstream music festivals (like Coachella). How could the brand reconnect with its original alternative roots while creating an identity that felt distinctly rebellious, expressive, and rooted in BIPOC alternative culture?
INSIGHT
Punk culture has historically been associated with rebellion and self-expression, but from my own experiences attending punk shows, it often revealed how little racial diversity existed within those spaces. Afropunk can bridge that gap by creating a space where BIPOC alternative-minded people can see themselves represented in a culture that has not always felt inclusive.
SOLUTION
I crafted a visual system inspired by the DIY aesthetic of punk zines and handmade concert flyers. Block Berthold became the foundation of the identity, bringing a rough, textured quality to the typography, while a bright and unconventional color palette amplified the rebellious energy. Highly processed photo treatments further reinforce the raw, imperfect character of the visual system. And finally, we have the value statement floating across all the collateral. It's important to the brand to have it always displayed in order to further enforce and aid in supporting the inclusive environment. This is festival environment where everyone is allowed to participate and discrimination is not tolerated.
OUTCOME
The resulting identity repositions Afropunk as a celebration of alternative culture rather than simply another music festival. By combining punk’s DIY visual language with a distinctly contemporary perspective, the system creates an identity that feels energetic, unconventional, and unapologetically expressive.
Let's work together!
© KIRA AJAS, 2026
