2026 Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Conference
A Refreshed Brand Identity, Expanded for the Conference
Service
Conference Identity
Role
Freelance Graphic Designer
Understanding the Client & Project
Pasa's annual conference brings together farmers, educators, advocates, researchers, policymakers, and community members for three days of learning on sustainable agriculture and food systems. Each year, Pasa collaborates with a different artist to build a distinct visual identity for the conference.
A Constraint Turned Opportunity
For the 2026 conference — Pasa's 35th year — limited time and budget due to an unforeseen political issue called for a different approach. Rather than developing a new identity from scratch, the decision was made to build on Pasa's recently refreshed brand, turning the constraint into an opportunity to introduce the organization's visual system to a wider conference audience.
Identifying Keywords for the Visual Direction
Two keywords shaped the design decisions for this project: Inclusive and Community.
Translating Keywords Into Visual Language
Inclusive
The existing accent graphic set was expanded to represent the range of backgrounds present at the conference. Graphics depicting farm products, agricultural research tools, and farming equipment were added so that attendees from different contexts feel reflected in the visual system.
Community
Pasa's primary and tertiary colors are interwoven across the background pattern sets, so that each pattern feels connected to the brand identity while adding depth and variation to the system.
For accent graphics, primary, secondary, and tertiary colors are interwoven together, adding richness and visual emphasis. Secondary colors represent each of Pasa's individual programs, while the patterns as a whole visualize how a community is organized — distinct parts forming a coherent whole.
To add variety and energy within the system, sewing lines and edge stitches are incorporated as supporting graphic elements. They highlight key information across deliverables while reinforcing the patchwork concept that anchors Pasa's brand.
Controlling Visual Weight Through Accent Graphic Sets
Two accent graphic sets were created, pattern fill and dash‑lined, ordered from heaviest to lightest visual weight. Mixing these sets limits how much pattern appears in any single view, while maintaining the patchwork and collage feel that ties each piece back to Pasa's brand.
