The Brief

For the Michael Ende Festival “Tage der Fantasie” in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, JAYS developed a visual system that brings Michael Ende’s literary worlds into a contemporary festival identity. The goal was to create a design language that feels culturally rich, accessible, and full of imagination – one that can evolve across a wide range of media.

Rather than relying on a single logo or key visual, we created a layered design system: from the core brand identity to a refined visual language and imaginative character worlds, all the way to applications for posters, websites, programs, social media, wayfinding, and motion design. This allows the festival to show many different faces while remaining unmistakably one coherent brand.

The Design

At its heart is a brand system built around wordmark, symbol, typography, and color. The “Michael Ende Festival” wordmark deliberately leaves part of “Ende” unwritten – a subtle invitation to keep imagining, to carry stories beyond their endings. At its side stands AURYN, the intertwined pair of snakes from The Neverending Story, as a powerful visual symbol.

From there, a colorful yet deliberately restrained visual world takes shape. Three literary motifs provide the starting points: Falkor (Fuchur) for sky and clouds, Cassiopeia for time and architecture, and Emma for mountains and landscapes. Each can stand on its own or become part of larger scenes and stories.

Generous white space, purposeful asymmetry, a blend of clean and literary typography, and a distinctive color palette create a sense of calm and openness. Imagination doesn’t come from filling every inch. It comes from space, suggestion, and the freedom to imagine more.

The Experience

The design sees the festival as more than just an event. It creates a walkable connection between Michael Ende’s imaginary worlds and the real Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Design here does more than inform. It guides visitors both physically and emotionally through the festival. Beyond traditional wayfinding, it creates layers of feeling: creativity, wonder, community, adventure, mindfulness, connection, and quiet. Each can give different places and experiences a character all their own.

The system is deliberately designed to evolve over the years. Each new edition can introduce its own themes, imagery, and color accents without losing the bigger identity. Instead of a temporary visual appearance, the festival becomes a growing visual universe – one that carries Michael Ende’s spirit of imagination, openness, and storytelling into the way the festival communicates.