Dr. Marquis Victor walked to the front of the room before a single data slide hit the screen. That was the choice. That was the message. Last Thursday, June 11, roughly 500 people gathered at Endicott College for ECCF‘s State of Essex County 2026 — nonprofit leaders, elected officials, donors, and business owners. Before anyone read a statistic, Marquis —

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

Arts and culture aren’t separate from tourism. Tourism isn’t separate from arts and culture. They are integrated, and in Massachusetts communities like Beverly, that integration is driving real economic growth – more visitors, more spending, more jobs, and a stronger local identity. I’ve been saying this for years. A few weeks ago, I got to make that case on stage

Creativity Connects with Mikki Wilson is a podcast from Creative Collective that amplifies the voices and stories of women entrepreneurs who are members of the Creative Collective. In each episode, host Mikki Wilson sits down with a woman business owner from the Creative Collective community to explore her unique journey, what drives her, and where she’s headed next. Local economies

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.

  You might not even realize it’s happening! The mural you pass on your way to work. The live music drifting out of your favorite restaurant on a Thursday night. The handmade sign in the coffee shop window. The photographer who captured your kid’s first birthday. The designer who made your business feel real when they handed you that logo.

About the Podcast Creativity Connects with Mikki Wilson is a Creative Collective podcast that goes beyond the brand and into the authentic journeys of women entrepreneurs who are members of the Creative Collective. Each episode, host Mikki Wilson sits down with a woman business owner from the Creative Collective community to explore her unique path, what drives her, and where

View the full set Salem’s transformation from persecution to pride reached new heights as over 30,000 people flooded the historic streets on June 28, 2025, for the North Shore Pride Festival. What began as Dr. Hope Watt-Bucci’s response to witnessing discrimination in 2012—expecting maybe 100 supporters—has exploded into one of Massachusetts’ most vibrant celebrations of LGBTQ+ identity, creativity, and community.

You can view the complete set here.  Last night at Derby Wharf, Salem showed us what celebration looks like when a community chooses connection over division. As the sun set over our historic harbor and thousands gathered on the waterfront, we witnessed something more meaningful than a traditional Independence Day event – we experienced the power of coming together through

Massachusetts cultural facilities are celebrating a transformative funding opportunity this summer. Furthermore, 74 nonprofit and municipal arts organizations across the state will share $6.5 million in grants. Additionally, this investment promises to strengthen creative spaces that serve communities from Boston to the Berkshires. Understanding Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Funding Impact The Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) represents a vital lifeline for arts