CMAD was born from a belief that art and design can shape civic life. Originally founded as the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Columbus, it brought exhibitions and cultural programming to a city that was already redefining the role of architecture in public life.

In Columbus, where visionary leaders and the Cummins Foundation championed world-class design for schools, churches, and civic buildings, the museum became part of a larger experiment: the idea that creativity belongs to everyone. Now known as the Columbus Museum of Art & Design, the organization continues that legacy by supporting artists and designers through an ongoing grant process funding civically-minded projects in the region.

When Span was invited to reimagine the institution’s identity in 2025, we discovered a history defined by optimism, experimentation, and civic ambition. Drawing inspiration from CMAD’s original mark and the modernist spirit of Columbus itself, we created a flexible visual system built around radiant forms and the neo-grotesque typeface Forma.

The result is an identity that honors the past while looking forward—confident, open, and designed for a new generation of civic imagination.