The second year. Following the intense but successful sprint in 2021, when we got the whole thing off the ground in one month, it was clear that we had to move on. Our initial success catapulted us into a role where the goal was no longer just to do something, but to make it big and international.
This required a significant visual identity change. The original Czech name, "Brněnský Pride Week," sounded too local. We wanted it to be Brno Pride Week—clear, short, and universally understandable. Crucially, we needed a logo robust enough to support the growing scale of the festival.
I focused on creating a text-based logo with a strong, clear message. My research led me back to the core symbols of Pride: parades, flags, and the assertive statement of identity. I placed the word PRIDE inside a stylized wavy frame that evoked a fluttering flag and a compact, yet dynamic form. This created a horizontal, streamlined logo with the rainbow gradient from last year's palette. We had it in black and white variants, but the black text stood out particularly well against the rainbow background. The beloved crocodile mascot evolved with us—it got an elegant update, outlined in black lines and colored white to complement the new visual cleanly.
This year’s edition was massive. The program expanded dramatically to 21 events across 9 festival venues. Since some events were scheduled in parallel, I had to design a completely new program system. I created a clear, multi-column schedule table allowing attendees to see what was running where and when simultaneously.
The flag frame became the primary visual asset. It worked brilliantly as a framing device for social media content for individual events, and I utilized a wide, sweeping gradient for stunning carousel posts that captured immediate attention. To help attendees navigate, I created an interactive map of the festival venues and a complete PDF program optimized for phones with direct links for event registrations and ticket purchases.
The week was packed with events: a magnificent opening ceremony with a stand-up and opening party, speed dating, panel discussions, Film in the Closet (a secret screening event I co-organized), queer walks, workshops, an event for rainbow families, a Kiki Ball!, and a massive Queer Party. For the party, I produced several video projections featuring the pulsating festival logo surrounded by abstract animations. We also significantly expanded our physical production, printing a huge flag, new merch, and phone stickers.
Most importantly, our small team grew to over 20 core people plus additional volunteers. We also achieved official recognition, with the event being held under the auspices of the 2nd Deputy Mayor of the City of Brno, Bc. Tomáš Koláčný, and secured funding from a European Union program.
Brno Pride Week successfully transitioned into a major cultural festival with a professional structure and significant institutional support. Through its rebranding and scaled visual assets, I helped give the organization a face worthy of a significant queer event in the Czech Republic.
