By John Andrews, Creative Collective founder.
In a world where political headlines spark heated debates and social media algorithms amplify our differences, we at Creative Collective believe there’s a powerful antidote to division hiding in plain sight: community-centered small businesses and creative spaces.
When Politics Divides, Local Businesses and Creativity Connect
The political landscape has always featured opposing viewpoints—that’s the nature of democracy. But in recent years, many of us have felt the weight of heightened polarization in our daily lives. Friendships are strained over political disagreements. Family gatherings are carefully orchestrated to avoid specific topics. Social media feeds increasingly reflect only one perspective.
Yet across Essex County and the North Shore, we’re witnessing something remarkable: people with different political beliefs coming together in local businesses and creative spaces. The artist selling their work doesn’t ask about your voting record. The coffee shop owner remembers your order, not your political affiliation. The local bookstore hosts discussions where diverse perspectives are welcomed. The independent retailer becomes a neighborhood hub where connections transcend political divides.
The evidence is compelling: 72% of people believe arts/culture-forward events unite diverse groups across backgrounds. In comparison, small businesses employ nearly half of the U.S. workforce and contribute 43.5% of GDP—all while fostering the local trust and interdependence our communities need to thrive.
Small Businesses as Essential “Third Places”
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third places” to describe spaces that aren’t home or work, but community gathering spots where people connect. These spaces—whether small businesses, art galleries, local cafés, independent retailers, community workshops, farmers markets, or cultural events—serve as neutral ground where relationships can form based on shared interests rather than political alignment.
When we support local businesses and the creatives who enliven them, we do far more than just boost the local economy. We’re investing in the social infrastructure that keeps our communities resilient during divisive times. For every $100 spent at a small business, $68 remains in the local economy compared to $43 at chains, creating multiplier effects that strengthen community bonds.
The impact is particularly evident in smaller communities. Recent research shows that only 28% of towns with populations under 10,000 report significant polarization impacts versus 46% in cities over 50,000. This remarkable resilience is attributed to proximity, pragmatism, and the daily interactions in local businesses and creative spaces.
From Consumers to Community Builders
At Creative Collective, we’ve seen firsthand how small businesses, local commerce, and creative enterprises build bridges no political speech ever could. When you shop at a local retailer, dine at a neighborhood restaurant, attend a local exhibition, purchase from an independent creator, or participate in a community workshop, you do more than consume; you connect and strengthen your community’s economic foundation.
These seemingly small actions ripple outward:
- The conversation with a stranger at a local café reveals unexpected common ground
- The small business owner who knows your name creates a sense of belonging
- The diverse entrepreneurs in your community develop spaces for authentic connection
- The local shop that employs your neighbors sustains livelihoods across political divides
- The diverse perspectives represented in community arts increase participants’ willingness to engage with opposing political viewpoints by up to 27%
In divisive times, these economic and social connections aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential to maintaining the social fabric that binds us despite our differences. Small businesses create jobs, generate tax revenue for community services, and provide spaces where genuine human interaction happens daily.
Creating Space for Nuance
Political discourse often forces complex issues into binary choices. But community engagement through local businesses and arts allows for nuance, for seeing the humanity in those with whom we disagree. The data supports this: arts and cultural participation have increased voter participation by 12% and community volunteerism by 18% in polarized regions.
This doesn’t mean ignoring important issues or abandoning deeply held values. Instead, it means creating spaces where we can engage as whole people—not just as political viewpoints. Neuroscientific research adds another dimension to this understanding: collective arts engagement synchronizes brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, enhancing empathy and reducing implicit bias by up to 19%.
A Call to Support Local Business and Creative Community Building
As we navigate politically charged times, we invite you to join us in viewing local economic and community building as a radical act of bridge-building:
- Commit to shifting a percentage of your spending to local small businesses, knowing that they employ nearly half of the U.S. workforce
- Support local entrepreneurs and creative businesses across the spectrum of backgrounds and experiences
- Choose Main Street over big box stores when possible
- Attend community events that bring diverse groups together
- Volunteer for initiatives that strengthen the local business ecosystem
- Create or participate in economic and creative initiatives that explore common humanity rather than political divisions
- Engage in conversations at local establishments that seek understanding rather than conversion
We at Creative Collective believe that thriving communities aren’t built on political homogeneity but on the richness that comes from diverse perspectives united by shared values of economic resilience, creativity, connection, and mutual support. Research confirms this approach works: inclusive businesses experience 30% lower turnover rates, while companies with diverse leadership teams outperform less varied peers by 36% in profitability.
In times of division, let’s remember that community isn’t just a place—we actively create together through our economic choices and creative engagement. And in that creation lies our greatest hope for healing the divides that threaten to separate us.
Creative Collective empowers local creativity and small businesses across Essex County and the North Shore, fostering an inclusive community where creativity, community, and commerce connect to help businesses not just survive, but thrive.
