Author: John, Content Director at Creative Collective, covering community and culture across Essex County’s North Shore. A snowstorm might have delayed the party, but it didn’t slow down the mission. The Local Black Excellence display, curated by North Shore Juneteenth Association Inc. (NSJA), is up right now in the foyer of Lynn City Hall — and it’s well worth a

Author: John, Founder & Executive Director, Creative Collective I need to talk about what happened while watching the Super Bowl Halftime this year. (I had some feelings about last year, too!) This one got me all up in my feels.  If you watched Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, you saw more than a spectacle. The cameos and choreography amazed,

Creative Collective was in the room on January 28, 2026, when the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism relaunched its Tourism U educational series. We were there to support our members Marnely Murray and Angela Prout of Shored Up Digital—and to bring back everything we learned about social media for tourism businesses for those of you who couldn’t make it.

Downtown Salem transforms into a winter wonderland February 6-8 as the Salem So Sweet Festival 2026 returns for its 24th year. This beloved celebration brings together sparkling ice sculptures, decadent chocolate, and Valentine’s Day shopping across the city’s historic streets—all as Salem approaches its landmark 400th anniversary. Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce have crafted another memorable

Women-Led Independent Production ‘The Better World’ Brings Beloved Fantasy Series to Screen for First Time; Event Features Book Sales, Cosplay, and Q&A SALEM, MA – January 16, 2026 – Cinema Salem will host an exclusive screening of The Better World, an independent fan film based on Sarah J. Maas’s bestselling Throne of Glass fantasy series, on Thursday, January 23, 2026, at 9:00

On Thursday morning, over 100 small business owners, nonprofit leaders, artists, and community builders packed into the basement of The Bower in Beverly. What started as a simple gathering became something much bigger. A room full of people chose connection over isolation, community over fear, and each other over going it alone. Honestly? We needed it. Why Does the Essex

Butterflies, poetry, and a lineup of historic firsts—this ceremony put Lynn’s creative spirit front and center. Sunday night at Lynn Memorial Auditorium was buzzing—residents, families, and city leaders all came together for the 2026 Inaugural Ceremony, and this was anything but a standard swearing-in. The butterfly installation by Raw Art Works youth artists set the tone from the moment attendees

Mayor Pangallo begins second term at PEM ceremony as poets and performers frame the moment—and the creative sector speaks without being named. On a Monday morning in January, just days before Salem’s official 400+ anniversary kickoff, the city inaugurated its 2026 leadership the way this city does so many things: surrounded by art, grounded in history, and looking resolutely forward.

Salem poetry events are flourishing as the city approaches its 400th anniversary celebration. On Sunday, January 11, the city’s first Poet Laureate, J.D. Scrimgeour, will launch his new book at the Peabody Essex Museum. This special reading marks nearly three decades of literary engagement with Salem. For poetry lovers and community members alike, it’s a meaningful moment. Salem’s First Poet

The magic of the holiday season came to life on December 20 as The Greater Salem Ballet Company took the stage at Lynn Auditorium for their beloved production of The Nutcracker. This year, Salem resident Olivia Meechin danced the role of Clara, leading audiences on a magical journey through the Battle of the Mice, the enchanted Christmas Tree forest, and