What does the job of artistic director look like?

The artistic director is responsible for visual identity and branding. He/she guarantees their application through campaigns and means of communication in particular. For a company or a product, the artistic director respects a communication strategy and objectives by translating them into visual solutions. 

What are the responsibilities of an artistic director?

A managerial role

Depending on the structure where he/she works, an advertising or communications agency, a brand or as a freelancer, his/her role and missions may vary. Leading a team of creatives, he/she collaborates with graphic designers, ux designers or illustrators, as well as with the communications team or company management to create the link between everyone. He/she must therefore respond to the different expectations and needs to ensure the smooth running of the project. It's a job that requires knowing how to adapt, manage and listen to your teams. 

Before the creative phase, the artistic director discusses with the teams to implement a solution. He is then responsible for the evolution of the project over time and its planning. To follow the different creative processes, he/she must know the steps to follow, whether to create a website or a poster. Between the requests of management, the client and the possibilities in terms of creation and budget, the artistic director ensures the coherence of the project. 

A strategic and creative role

Ideas are the roots of his creations. To bring them out, the artistic director creates research and analysis work around a market, a product, consumers or an evolution in society. He/she then sets up a strategy that will be applied through visual creations. The artistic director defines a tone, a universe, chooses typographies and colors, which will be used on the different media. For a publication, a magazine, he/she may be required to design its layout. He/she may also work with a copywriter to define the messages within the visuals. When the creations are finalized, he/she is responsible for presenting the strategy and the campaign to management or the client. His abilities to explain and convince play an important role. 

What are the qualities of an artistic director?

If creativity is an essential quality, it cannot be valued without the skills of understanding and observation. The artistic director is intuitive, cultivates a critical eye as well as curiosity. His sense of aesthetics allows him to create attractive and relevant visuals. Her general culture and his mastery of the field of design represent solid foundations for generating ideas, designing strategies and leading a team project. His interpersonal skills are also important in supporting his colleagues and delegating tasks.