THE ART OF COMMUNICATION. ENCOURAGING INTERACTION & IMPROVING THE IMAGE OF THE INSTITUTION THROUGH ATTRACTIVE CONTENT AND VISUAL.
EMPLOYER
ROYAL INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE (KIK-IRPA)
ROLE
DESIGN, COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST
YEARS
2022-2024
Visual communication for a federal scientific institution dedicated to the study and preservation of Belgium’s artistic heritage. I led the design, photography, video and digital communication work, creating branded assets, managing social media, producing publications and coordinating high-profile events, ensuring that the institution’s expertise, people and mission were presented with the clarity and visual quality they deserve.
Social Media Strategy & Audience Growth
I restructured and revitalised the institution’s social media presence, consolidating fragmented YouTube and LinkedIn accounts and launching a new Instagram channel from scratch. I curated a compelling visual narrative rooted in the institution’s photography archive, growing Instagram from zero to over 1,000 engaged followers. Each platform was given a distinct role within a unified communication strategy, Instagram for visual storytelling, LinkedIn for institutional positioning, YouTube for documentary content, Facebook for community and event promotion, ensuring the institute speaks with one coherent and recognisable voice across all channels.
Institutional Photography
I developed a photography-led communication approach to showcase the institution’s work, capturing the precision, expertise and passion of conservators, researchers and scientists in action. These images became the visual backbone of all communication outputs: social media, publications, press materials and exhibition panels. Selected photographs were featured on the cover of the Belgian Federal Science Policy magazine.
Photos © KIK-IRPA, Brussels – Lionel Dutrieux
Photography at the heart of communication
The institution is featured on the cover with eye-catching photographs, as in the Belgian Federal Science Policy magazine issue.
Publication Design & Editorial Systems
All publications were designed within a consistent visual identity, focusing on what makes the institution strong: its people, expertise and vision. I designed layouts for institutional reports, brochures and digital publications in three languages (FR/NL/EN), and built a collaborative editorial system enabling experts across the institution to validate content before publication, streamlining a previously fragmented approval process.
A movie is worth a thousand words.
I produced and directed short video content to introduce the institution’s tools, techniques and people, from explainer formats showcasing specialised equipment to interviews with conservators and researchers. I also produced a full-length documentary film tracing the daily work of the institute, managing the project from brief and budget through external production coordination, review cycles and final delivery. Each output was designed to make scientific expertise accessible and engaging for both specialist and general audiences.
75th Anniversary Brand Campaign & Magazine
For the institution’s 75th anniversary, I led the production of a richly illustrated 130-page bilingual special edition magazine, defining the editorial direction, writing feature articles, producing the photography, and supervising an external graphic designer through layout and production. I also designed the full set of branded event materials (invitations, signage, digital assets and campaign visuals) and coordinated the anniversary event for 250+ guests, including press relations, photographer and videographer coordination, and speech preparation for the Director.
Multimedia Exhibition Design
I designed multimedia display panels combining photography and editorial content to help museum visitors understand restored works in context. Digital panels were installed to highlight the work of conservators and researchers, bridging the gap between scientific process and public understanding, design in service of accessibility and education.
Internal Communication & CMS Redesign
I overhauled the institution’s internal communication tools, redesigning the intranet to improve usability, content structure and staff engagement. I established an editorial planning process and created templates enabling colleagues across departments to contribute content autonomously, transforming a static, underused platform into an active internal communication channel. The project required close coordination with IT services, management and staff representatives, balancing institutional requirements with the practical needs of a 100+ person organisation working across three languages.
