The next chapter for Masterwork
A bigger stage.A clearer story.
Help the right people find your programs, believe in your mission, and take the next step.
Your programs deserve a website with the same care behind them. We bring the awards, artist stories, and giving experience together, with publishing tools built for two part-time staff.
Download the proposal PDF · A companion for your board’s review.
01 / See it working
The art leads.
The next step is clear.
An editorial opening draws people in. Clear program paths help them act. A Life in the Arts gives the people behind the work a prominent home.
Awards, eligibility guidance, artist interviews, a giving journey, and an interactive staff publishing demo.
Connected in productionPayload CMS, Aplos, Mailchimp, Google Drive access, final forms, administrative accounts, and production credentials. The staff demo uses sample content.
02 / Designed around people
Different reasons to visit.
One clear next step.
Artists need clarity. Donors need confidence. Audiences need a reason to return. Staff need a site they can keep current.
“Is there an opportunity here for my work or community?”
Awards, eligibility, disciplines, and deadlines can be difficult to compare when they are distributed across unrelated posts.
- 01Choose a discipline
- 02Understand the award
- 03Confirm fit
- 04Apply or ask a question
Built for a two-person staff
More time for the mission.
Less time managing pages.
An award deadline changes. A new interview is ready. An announcement has run its course. Try the sample workflow and see how guided fields keep those updates manageable.
Try a staff update- 01Choose
Select a program, story, interview, announcement, or call to action.
- 02Complete
Add the required title, date, discipline, media, and next action.
- 03Preview
Confirm the public presentation without rebuilding the page.
- 04Publish
Release now or schedule time-sensitive content with clear ownership.
The recommended publishing systemCustom React website + Payload CMSWhy it fits, what it costs to run, and how we prove staff independence.
A custom website. A familiar editorial routine.
We recommend a custom React website paired with Payload CMS. Structured forms give staff control of content while reusable templates protect Masterwork’s design. This is the proposed production architecture; the public concept is not a deployed CMS.
About the recommended CMS- Why this fits Masterwork
- Awards, interviews, stories, and announcements have different publishing needs. A structured CMS makes those needs explicit, supports drafts and previews, and avoids asking two part-time staff to design pages every time they publish.
- Hosting, cost & continuity
- Masterwork owns the hosting and administrator accounts. We configure a compatible Node hosting environment, database, media storage, backups, and role-based access. Hosting and third-party service costs are reviewed and approved before commitment; recurring maintenance beyond the 30-day defect period is not included.
- How we prove staff independence
- Before handoff, staff will update an award deadline, publish a story, change a homepage feature, and expire an announcement using the editor. We provide training and a concise administrator guide.
03 / What Masterwork receives
One connected project.
A useful site after launch.
Strategy, design, publishing, and launch belong in the same plan. Each part below supports the next, with clear limits and a complete handoff.
- Strategy
Sitemap, audience journeys, content model, migration priorities, and publishing rules.
- Design
Responsive art direction and reusable page patterns across up to 10 core pages or templates.
- Publishing
Guided fields for awards, interviews, stories, announcements, and calls to action.
- Connections
One Aplos giving connection, one Mailchimp form, YouTube, social, and board-resource handoffs.
- Migration
Up to 15 priority Blogger posts, source attribution, clean URLs, and a redirect ledger.
- Launch
Accessibility and device QA, training, documentation, launch support, and 30-day defect coverage.
Inside the fixed scopeExplore the proposed ten-page structure
A manageable publishing system
Ten core page patterns.
Room for the stories within them.
The final sitemap is agreed in week one. A reusable award detail template supports Premier, Community Arts, and Emerging Artist awards; it does not require a new design for each award.
- 01Homepage
- 02About the foundation
- 03Awards overview
- 04Award detail
- 05A Life in the Arts
- 06Interview detail
- 07News & stories
- 08Story detail
- 09Support & giving
- 10Protected board landing
Up to 10 core pages or templates · Up to 15 priority Blogger posts · Two consolidated visual revision rounds. Contact information and existing resource links are integrated into the approved structure. Additional archive migration is documented for staff or scoped separately.
The DesignFactory.Creative That Gets Results
Independent creative agency
Dallas & Los Angeles · Working nationally
04 / The Design Factory
A close working relationship.
Senior people doing the work.
For 30 years, The Design Factory has connected brand strategy, visual communication, and digital experiences. We bring that experience to Masterwork through a small senior team, a direct point of contact, and clear responsibility for the result.
Recognition for the broader WeConsiderWA campaign, with TDF leading the subcontracted creative and digital work.
Brand, civic, and nonprofit work across three decades.
Senior people on the work
Clear accountability from first decision through launch.
- 01Sederrick RaphielFounder & Creative Director
Executive alignment, creative oversight, and final quality accountability.
- 02Ari RaphielLead Designer & Project Director
Principal contact for strategy, audience journeys, content direction, design, and approvals.
- 03Armon RaphielTechnical Director
Architecture, integrations, accessibility, performance, security, and launch.
Relevant recent website releases
Relevant work.
Clear parallels.
Recent website releases for organizations balancing public service, a rich story, and everyday staff needs.
DFW Urban League
Website, program pathways, mobile participant forms, and staff workflows. For Masterwork: make complex opportunities easier to find and act on, with practical tools behind the scenes. Ongoing support is separate from the released website.
Explore the live website 022026 website release · Community institutionSt. Luke Community UMC
Website redesign, mobile navigation, calendar and archive pathways, and a staff content editor. For Masterwork: connect a rich institutional story to current activity and routine publishing. Ongoing support continues after release.
Explore the live website05 / RFP response
The brief, answered.
Each requirement has a defined response. Open any item to see the evidence and what we need from Masterwork to complete it.
12material RFP requirements mapped
NowVisible in the concept
NextIncluded in production, with account access where needed
Public experience
Make Masterwork easier to understand, explore, and support.
01Responsive experienceMobile-first page patterns with fluid type, art-directed media, and touch-safe controls.Visible now
Working homepage and proposal at phone, tablet, and desktop widths.
Final content volume and approved imagery.
03Flexible homepage feature areaA lead story plus two supporting initiatives visible at the same time, with independently editable content.Visible now
Working homepage composition and sample feature selector in the staff demo. Production connects these controls to the CMS.
Approved homepage priorities and image standards.
04Expanded A Life in the ArtsA dedicated editorial collection with interview pages, video, guest context, and related conversations. Approved transcripts can be added during production.Visible now
Working collection and two interview pages with click-to-load YouTube players and direct viewing fallbacks.
Final video inventory, verified captions or transcripts, and source files.
06Lightbox and announcement bannersA top-of-page announcement banner and dismissible lightbox, with production controls for dates and frequency.Included
The concept includes a banner and click-open announcement dialog. The staff demo illustrates expiry. Production connects scheduling and frequency rules to the CMS.
Announcement policy and approved content.
09YouTube and social mediaVisual YouTube embeds plus Facebook and Instagram feed connections—not social icons alone—with a graceful fallback if a provider is unavailable.After access
Production includes approved-channel connection and mobile checks. The concept demonstrates editorial placement; live feeds remain to be configured.
Account permissions, media rights, and approval of any provider subscription or API restrictions.
11Current brand with future flexibilityRetain Masterwork’s identity while introducing durable typography, spacing, photography, and component rules.Visible now
Working visual system across editorial, program, giving, and governance moments.
Final logo files and brand approvals.
12Four-discipline color hierarchyUse music, dance, theatre, and visual-art colors as wayfinding signals, not competing page themes.Visible now
Discipline rail, program labels, and related-content logic.
Final color approval and contrast testing.
Operations and integrations
Give a two-person staff practical control without handing them a page builder.
02Intuitive content managementPayload CMS with guided fields for pages, awards, news, interviews, announcements, and calls to action.Included
Interactive staff demo shows sample editing, preview, expiry, and a simulated publish. Production adds authenticated roles, saved drafts, scheduling, training, and documentation; Payload is not yet connected.
Administrator list, approved hosting costs, and publishing roles.
05Protected board accessA password-protected board landing page with a controlled handoff to the existing Google Drive repository.After access
Technical scope and handoff plan.
Approved access model and Google Drive permissions.
07Aplos giving & required paymentsAn Aplos-connected giving path with major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo on the acceptance checklist.Confirm provider
All four payment categories must be checked against Masterwork’s provider configuration before the implementation path is finalized. Wallet and Venmo support is not yet verified; the concept does not process donations.
Aplos account review and provider confirmation. Any compatible third-party path or additional recurring cost requires Masterwork’s written approval; no silent substitution of payment methods.
08Blogger migration or integrationMigrate up to 15 priority posts, preserve source attribution, and document the path for remaining archives.Included
Migration scope, URL ledger, and editorial model.
Export access, priority list, and staff-assisted migration.
10Mailchimp formsReplace the legacy Wix signup with one directly connected Mailchimp form, including accessible validation, confirmation, and consent language.After access
Production acceptance includes a test signup appearing in the approved audience. The concept reserves its placement; it does not yet collect subscriptions.
Masterwork-owned account access and final consent copy.
Semantic structure, keyboard operation, visible focus, reduced motion, captions, contrast, zoom, and reflow checks.
Responsive media, stable dimensions, lean scripts, lazy loading, and launch performance review.
Metadata, clean URLs, redirects, source attribution, analytics, and post-launch error monitoring.
06 / From approval to launch
Six weeks.
Five clear approval gates.
The recommended schedule leaves room for content, integrations, stakeholder decisions, testing, and training without losing momentum.
- 01Week 1
Confirm the foundation
Kickoff, content inventory, audience priorities, hosting review, measurement baseline, and decision ownership.
Approval gateGoals, sitemap, content owners, technology direction, and migration priorities.
- 02Week 2
Set the story system
Information architecture, page briefs, content types, award logic, giving journey, and board-access flow.
Approval gateNavigation, page responsibilities, content model, and functional requirements.
- 03Week 3
Design the experience
Responsive visual system, representative pages, editorial patterns, motion rules, and accessibility review.
Approval gateVisual direction, key templates, components, and content presentation.
- 04Weeks 4–5
Build and connect
Custom page patterns, guided content tools, approved integrations, priority migration, metadata, and redirects.
Approval gateWorkflows, populated content, integrations, and administrative behavior.
- 05Week 6
Prove and launch
Device QA, accessibility, performance, link testing, privacy review, training, documentation, and launch.
Approval gateProduction readiness, account ownership, and final handoff.
A deliberate plan, with dates everyone can rely on.
Six weeks from the agreed kickoff, with approved content, account access, and one decision lead in place. Dates are confirmed after selection; September 21 is the proposal deadline, not the website launch date. Delayed inputs or approvals move dependent dates. There is no separate one-week delivery promise.
How the work stays realistic
Clear responsibilities keep the work moving.
- Content readiness
- Approved content moves in manageable batches with one named owner.
- Decision speed
- One empowered lead consolidates feedback at each approval gate.
- Integration access
- Provider and credential review begins in week one.
- Scope control
- Optional work begins only after its effect on price and timing is approved.
- Staff adoption
- Training uses Masterwork's real content and repeatable publishing patterns.
- Long-term control
- Masterwork owns its accounts, content, data, and approved deliverables.
07 / Investment and ownership
A clear investment.
A complete handoff.
The fee sits within Masterwork’s published range and includes both the public redesign and the practical systems required to keep it useful.
Third-party platform, hosting, licensing, and transaction fees are excluded.
Where the investment goes
Strategy and information architecture$600
Responsive visual system and key-page design$1,150
Custom build and guided content tools$1,550
Approved integrations and priority migration$950
QA, training, launch, and 30-day defect support$750
Milestone billing
Kickoff and production scheduling40% · $2,000
Design-system approval40% · $2,000
Launch approval and handoff20% · $1,000
Domain, hosting, content, media, Aplos, Mailchimp, Google Drive, analytics, accounts, and inquiry data.
Approved custom deliverables, reusable patterns, documentation, training, QA records, redirects, and 30-day defect support.
Up to 10 core pages or templates, 15 priority posts, two consolidated visual revision rounds, and written change control.
Does this fit what Masterwork needs?
Let’s confirm the scope, account requirements, and a realistic kickoff together.
08 / Questions answered
Good questions.
Clear answers.
Still weighing a detail? Ask Ari directly and we’ll work through it together.
01What is already working?+
The homepage is a live, responsive concept that demonstrates the visual direction, flexible feature area, four-discipline system, awards presentation, A Life in the Arts treatment, announcement behavior, and giving story. It proves the direction without claiming that payments, private access, or account-based services are already connected.
02What sits outside the fee?+
Hosting, domain, premium platform subscriptions, payment-processing fees, extensive copywriting, new photography or video production, migration above the stated volume, custom application development, travel, and material scope changes are excluded unless approved in writing.
03Are all requested donation methods confirmed?+
Not yet. Major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo are all RFP requirements, not optional extras. We will verify Masterwork’s Aplos/provider configuration before finalizing the giving implementation. If another compatible service is necessary, its availability, connection, and costs must be approved in writing before work proceeds.
04How are accessibility and performance protected?+
The production target is WCAG 2.2 AA. We will use semantic structure, keyboard-operable controls, visible focus, reduced-motion support, contrast testing, captions or transcripts for meaningful video, responsive images, stable media dimensions, and launch checks across modern desktop and mobile browsers.
05Who owns the website and accounts?+
Masterwork should own or control its domain, hosting, content administration, Aplos, Mailchimp, Google Drive, analytics, content, and media. After final payment, Masterwork receives the approved custom deliverables and documentation. Third-party software remains subject to its own license.
06How is scope growth handled?+
We confirm requests against the written scope before work begins. If a request changes content volume, integrations, templates, or functionality, we document the effect on fee and schedule and proceed only after written approval.
09 / A conversation, then a plan
Let’s talk about
your next chapter.
You know Masterwork’s priorities. We’ve brought a clear starting point. A short conversation can connect the two.
Ari Raphiel Lead Designer & Project Director
Walk through the idea.
Make it your own.
We can explore the concept together, discuss staff publishing, and clarify scope or giving requirements.
Request a concept walkthrough Have a question first? Email Ari Opens an editable email with a starting message.