First Year on First Street
In June 2009, more than two years of planning and building came together as we left our workspace in Dayton's historic Oregon District and moved into our brand new digs on First Street. This marked one of the biggest landmarks in Real Art's history, representing not just a physical change of location, but also a mental shift into a more open, creative atmosphere with room to grow, play and think.
The move was substantial. Our creatives, who were used to being packed into small spaces now had separate rooms in which to meet, brainstorm, relax and unwind. We unpacked and started working. We threw a party. We began stretching our legs and finding uses for our many unique spaces. We decorated. We threw another party. And all the while, we continued doing what Real Art does best — creating great work with great people.
Now that we've settled in and worked through four seasons in the new space, we found ourselves hardly noticing our 1-year anniversary passing us by. However, we didn't forget entirely, and we decided to put together a short video as a reminder to ourselves, our friends and our clients that this has indeed been a landmark year for us. But above all, looking back at the great work we've done in the last year confirms what we've known all along: Real Art is much more than a building. It's a group of people dedicated to doing great design. Cheers to our first year on First Street!
Real Art Stories Episode 1: Hermes Awards 2010
Every year, Real Art participates in the GDAA Hermes Awards, which are the local level of the national AAF Addy Awards. We never really know how our work will be judged, but we always know we’re in for a fun evening. This year’s show, on February 20th, was no exception. Fortunately, we won an unprecedented 29 awards, including nine gold awards. It’s always great when the team’s hard work and talent is recognized within the Dayton community.
But this year, the true competition in the weeks leading up to the event was the Real Beard Awards. This was Real Art’s second employee beard-growing competition, and it was a heated race. At our Hermes after-party, we announced the Real Beard Awards “Best-in-Show,” which went to Mark Kargl’s dapper beard. That very same beard had also previously carried Mark to victory in the “Most Unrecognizable Face” category. We also had a “plus one” at the show. We were accompanied by Kenny Mosher of Showdown Visual. He brought his camera along and captured the essence of the evening. As you can see in the video, the team has lots of fun any time we get together, and we’re certainly proud of our accomplishments and humbled by the awards.
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who we are
Do great work with great people. That’s the driving force behind every project we take on and every product we deliver.
From the people we hire to the work that we do, you’ll find an unparalleled devotion to creativity and customer service. Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or you’re starting from scratch, we’ll guide you through every step of the creative process and help you develop an identity or product that matches your needs. And with a full team of designers, programmers and other support staff, you can look to us for a complete strategy—both online and off.
With studios in Dayton, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois, Real Art is constantly growing its clients, employees, projects and capabilities, and we look forward to expanding even more in the future.
what we do
Creative design, strategic decisions and solid results–expect nothing less from the work that we produce.
Our broad range of clients includes everyone from retail and entertainment industries to technology companies and nonprofit organizations.
Consequently, our portfolio is just as diverse. We produce design for annual reports, direct mail pieces, branding, product packaging, marketing materials, websites and much more. And regardless of the medium, you’ll see and experience the difference that more than 20 years of experience can make on your project. Our seasoned staff is always available to give you the customer service you want and the expertise you need.