Tempesta di Mare
Tempesta di Mare had established themselves as an international leader in baroque music—the only American ensemble recording for the prestigious British label Chandos, with 31+ modern world premieres of forgotten masterworks. Critics praised their "abundant energy, immaculate ensemble, and undeniable sense of purpose." Yet their website told a different story.
The Challenge
With two major grant-funded projects on the horizon—reconstructed works by women composers and a celebration of the Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary—the orchestra needed their digital presence to match their artistic excellence. Problems included:
- A Lack of Visual Identity: Black-and-white photography and outdated design failed to capture their vibrant artistry or distinguish them from other regional orchestras.
- Technical Deterioration: An un-updatable WordPress theme, persistent hosting issues, and broken integrations with Salesforce and MailChimp plagued the site.
- User Experience Failures: Generic navigation, no multi-event organization capabilities, buried accessibility content, and unclear donation pathways hindered conversions and audience engagement.
The website wasn't just underperforming; it was actively hindering ticket sales, limiting audience expansion, and making it difficult to fulfill grant obligations.
The Solution
Design: Finally Worthy of Their Artistry
The visual transformation was immediate and striking. We moved from sterile black-and-white imagery to vibrant color photography capturing what makes Tempesta di Mare special.
Visual Excellence:
- Rich photography showcasing the beautiful textures of period instruments—glowing wood, brass patina, intricate harpsichord details
- Performance shots capturing the dynamic dialogue between musicians
- Refreshed color palette to better draw attention to the photography
- Typography and visual system that signals sophistication without pretension
The Result: A website that looks like it belongs to an internationally acclaimed ensemble, not a community orchestra.
User Experience: Clear Pathways for Every Visitor
We redesigned the site structure around one insight: different people have different needs, and the site should guide them efficiently.
For Concert-Goers:
- Season calendar with intuitive filtering
- Clear ticket purchasing integrated with Salesforce Patron Manager
- Custom landing pages for multi-event projects organized by category, date, and venue
- "Baroque 101" content welcoming curious first-timers
For Donors:
- Streamlined donation pathways with clear impact messaging
- Multiple giving levels presented attractively
- Easy access to financial transparency information
For Musicians & Press:
- Research and archival sections with performance editions
- Media gallery with filtering capabilities
- Press kit with high-resolution images and bios
Accessibility Front and Center:
- Dedicated accessibility section highlighting Art-Reach Philadelphia partnership
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance throughout
- Enhanced navigation, color contrast, and form interactions
Easy for Staff to Manage
Behind the scenes, the website is designed to be as effortless to update as it is beautiful to experience. We built a system that balances consistency with flexibility. Concert listings, news posts, and musician bios use structured templates—staff simply fill in the details.
More advanced layouts are built with a user-friendly page builder, allowing staff to showcase all kinds of content and adapt the website's focus throughout the season without developer assistance.
Staff can confidently maintain the site's day-to-day operations while having the creative freedom to showcase major initiatives exactly how they envision them.
Key Takeaways
For Arts Organizations:
- Design Signals Value: Your website should match the quality of your artistic product
- Different Audiences, Different Needs: Design clear pathways for each visitor type
- Empower Your Staff: Custom content modules save time and reduce errors
For Small Teams:
- Integration Eliminates Redundancy: Proper system connections save hours of duplicate work
- Accessibility Expands Reach: Making content available to everyone reflects your values
- Flexible Platforms Enable Growth: Build for today's needs and tomorrow's ambitions
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