The 2017 Royal New Zealand Ballet Season Guide positioned ballet as an art form, aiming to extend its audience beyond a loyal core of supporters. Inspired by the dramatic light and emotion of Caravaggio, we conceived the creative theme ‘Be Still My Beating Heart’ framing the season as a cohesive masterpiece—balancing contrasts of light and dark, classical and contemporary. The Guide was designed as both a commercial tool and a keepsake, offering audiences a rich, immersive introduction to the upcoming season.

The arts sector is highly competitive, and while RNZB has a dedicated following, the brief required broadening its appeal to new audiences. The Season Guide needed to capture attention, communicate a large volume of information, and stand out as a visually compelling piece—all while working within a strict budget. A key challenge was expressing the fluidity and emotion of ballet through static imagery, while maintaining a strong artistic narrative across the entire publication.

A highly art-directed photographic approach brought the concept to life, treating each page as a carefully composed “painting.” Direction focused on capturing movement within still images, supported by curated props, floral elements, and styling. Wardrobe sourced from Adrian Hailwood avoided traditional costumes to reinforce ballet as an accessible art form.

Design elements balanced rich, detailed imagery with clean layouts, using contrast, typography, and colour to guide the reader experience. Production choices such as size, stock, and binding, were carefully considered to elevate the Guide into a lasting object.

The result was a visually striking publication that generated anticipation and engagement, including strong social media traction, successfully extending the reach and appeal of RNZB’s season.