Turner Prize heads north with True North

The Turner Prize is poised to launch a visual identity by Manchester-based consultancy True North, as the Tate-backed arts prize travels outside of London for the first time.

Tate Liverpool’s Turner Prize 2007, which aims to be a curtain-raiser for Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008, will feature the work of four shortlisted British artists at its Albert Dock Gallery.

True North was appointed two weeks ago following a three-way paid creative pitch against two undisclosed consultancies. It had previously worked with the gallery on annual reports .

According to True North managing director Martin Carr, the brief was to convey the glamour, skill and significance in the contemporary arts world of the Turner Prize without focusing on Liverpool too much.

‘This was not about creating a northern version of the Turner Prize identity, but conveying the Turner Prize 2007, and maybe trying to find a northern element to it,’ Carr says. ‘The work consists of a logo that will appear on everything, and the originality will come out in the tone of voice, rather than the visual identity.’

The Turner Prize exhibition is at Tate Liverpool from 19 October to 13 January 2008. The winner will be announced on 3 December.