THE CENTER FOR ART, DESIGN, AND VISUAL CULTURE (CADVC)
A unique voice for a university art center
The ask
The Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture (CADVC) at the University of Maryland was a center without an online home. As an art school within a larger university, it needed a platform to showcase research, student work, faculty projects, and exhibitions — none of which were visible on its previous website. The existing university template left no room for personality, storytelling, or proper exhibition presentation, and accessibility gaps kept entire audiences from engaging.
Director Rebecca Uchill knew the site was holding CADVC back. After a competitive RFP, she chose us over larger agencies. The mission: create a digital presence worthy of CADVC’s work in just nine months.
The new site launched alongside the start of the school year, enabling visitors and scholars to engage deeply with CADVC’s programming and archives in an accessible digital environment.
The challenge
The challenge
University systems aren’t built for creative independence. Every design decision had to be earned. UMBC’s institutional standards, IT requirements, accessibility mandates, and approval cycles existed for good reason, but they moved slowly.
The challenge wasn’t just building a visually appealing site; it was creating one that felt distinctly CADVC while working entirely within the constraints of a public institution.
The work
The work
We started with identity: What does CADVC look like when it has room to be itself? Discovery and workshops revealed a calm, authoritative approach that lets the work speak for itself. CADVC isn’t a commercial gallery; it’s a place where the work is always central.
The design system reflects that ethos: clean typography, generous whitespace, and a muted palette that recedes when exhibition imagery is present and holds structure when it isn’t. Every component flexes to showcase exhibitions, past shows, publications, events, and faculty work without losing coherence.
A modular, intuitive CMS empowers CADVC’s small staff and seasonal graduate students to publish and update content independently. This is a critical capability for an institution running a continuous program of exhibitions and events. Accessibility was baked in from the start: Every decision aligned with WCAG 2.2 AA standards, making accessibility the baseline, not an afterthought.
The result
- 9-month delivery timeline
- WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards
- SEO and performance optimization
We launched on time with the start of the academic year, giving CADVC a distinct digital identity within the University of Maryland system. The site now reflects the center’s authority, amplifies its work, and serves students, faculty, and the broader community.