Salem Pantry Takes Fight Against Hunger to Washington Executive Director and communications leader advocate on Capitol Hill for SNAP preservation amid rising food insecurity Salem Pantry Joins National Anti-Hunger Advocacy Effort The Salem Pantry joined over 900 advocates from across the country last week at the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, hosted by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). Executive

A converted school auditorium in downtown Salem held an unlikely cross-section of the affordable housing world this morning. A priest from the Archdiocese of Boston. A state senator. The director of the Punto Urban Art Museum. Affordable housing financiers. City planners. And Sarah Ashodian, the building’s first artist-resident. The occasion was the ribbon-cutting for Hawthorne Lofts, 29 units of affordable

New Contemporary Art Space Airtight Garage Opens in Salem with Assemblage Exhibition Artist-run gallery brings paid opportunities and free workshops to North Shore artists starting May 2026 Salem Welcomes New Contemporary Art Space Airtight Garage, a contemporary art space and incubator, opens its doors in Salem this May with its inaugural exhibition “Assemblage.” Organized by artist and art writer Rachel

Historic Hearts Yoga at Hamilton Hall Benefits Plummer Youth Promise Pop-up yoga class in Samuel McIntire’s Federal masterpiece combines wellness and charity on May 18 Why Yoga at Hamilton Hall? The Answer is Community Throughout its 220-year history, Hamilton Hall has hosted countless events to facilitate conversation, connection, and fun among community members. Historic Hearts Yoga honors that history and

April 24–26, 2026  |  Salem, Massachusetts  |  Theme: Song of the Sea By John Andrews, Creative Collective A Magical Weekend in the Witch City Grab your knitting bag, your favorite tarot deck, and a pearl-dripping sea-witch ensemble. The Fiber Witch Festival Salem returns April 24–26, 2026. This year’s edition is shaping up to be the most enchanting yet. Circle of

For one weekend this spring, Salem’s Derby Street stops being a row of shops and restaurants and becomes what it always was: a working waterfront full of rogues, merchants, and the kind of characters who built this city. Pirates! The Battle for Derby Street returns April 24 – 26, 2026, and it is the most ambitious maritime weekend Salem has

By John Andrews, Creative Collective MA Journee LaFond stood in front of a sold-out theater in Salem on Transgender Day of Visibility. They said, “I am planting the seeds of a forest that I’m not gonna see.” That was Day One of GRAYSCALE. There were still two days left, and already, the atmosphere felt transformed. I wrote the first version

by John Andrews Some films play by the rules. They find a compelling subject, follow it faithfully, and deliver something solid and safe. There’s nothing wrong with that. But the films that tend to stay with you longest are the ones made by people who decided the rules didn’t apply to them. These are the filmmakers who found subjects who

By John Andrews, Content Director, Creative Collective Salem’s 400th anniversary year is already packed with landmark moments. Now, one of the most ambitious celebrations yet is taking shape. Food at 400+, a 12-day culinary and cultural festival running June 11–22, 2026, will transform the city into a living timeline of food, community, and shared heritage. Produced by Salem Food Tours

By John Andrews, Content Director at Creative Collective — covering the North Shore’s creative economy and cultural programming Every March, something quietly remarkable happens in Salem. A small city on Boston’s North Shore — better known for witch trials and Halloween — transforms into one of New England’s most compelling documentary film festivals. There are no Hollywood blockbusters and no