Shades of Noir is a social justice organisation working across arts and higher education. Its Terms of Reference journals are central to its work, accompanying events and creating pegagogic resources that centre marginalised voices.
Over seven years, these publications evolved from internal documents into carefully designed, widely distributed artefacts used across institutions globally.
My role
Working in close collaboration with Aisha Richards and the Shades of Noir team, I was responsible for the design and project management of the journals.
This included:
- developing the visual framework
- structuring editorial layouts
- coordinating contributors
- overseeing print production
- managing timelines across multiple editions
Approach
To support consistency and sustainability, I designed a structured layout system that could be adapted across future editions.
I built foundational templates and asset systems to streamline development, making it possible to produce rich, thoughtful journals within a clear and repeatable process.
As the project evolved, we migrated the journals onto a web platform to improve accessibility, creating both print and digital versions that could reach wider audiences.
Outcome
The Terms of Reference journals became visually engaging and accessible pedagogic tools, distributed virtually and across institutions internationally.
Behind the scenes, the structured design system and production process allowed the team to produce substantial publications within clear timelines, without compromising on depth and integrity.
Shades of Noir Explains:
These documents have always been an integral contribution to our events since 2011. However, during phase 3 we transformed these documents into visually stimulating artefacts for all.
These artefacts have diverse content including:
- Voices of student,staff, and practitioners
- Evolving key terms
- Reading lists
- Introduction to theories
- Additional organisations
Our Terms of Reference are found virtually and in several institutions globally.
