Join us for a free, vibrant community gathering designed for LGBTQIA+ individuals and their allies. Prepare for an evening of laughter, music and connection at Salem Night Live, PEM’s inaugural variety show! Hosted by local comedian Ms. Adventure, Salem Night Live promises to be an unforgettable event, showcasing a fantastic lineup of musical performances and featuring special guests from the …
Join bootmaker Sarah Madeleine T. Guerin for an artist talk as part of our “Salem as Muse” lecture series. Guerin will discuss her bootmaking process in PEM’s Lye-Tapley Shoe Shop, as well as her background, artistic practice and work. PEM’s Curator-at-Large Paula Richter will join her a presentation on PEM’s impressive shoe collection and the history of shoemaking. This program …
The Moth returns to PEM this summer! Join us for a live storytelling event with the community on the theme of American Dreams.
Join us for a powerful performance by G–Hwaja, a dynamic quintet rooted in Korean traditional music. Drawing from centuries-old sounds and instruments, G–Hwaja brings a vivid and contemporary energy to Korea’s musical heritage. Their sound subtly bridges tradition and modern expression. The ensemble members are: Junghee Oh, 12-string gayageum and byeongchang vocals Song Eun Shin, 25-string gayageum Woosung Jung, daegeum, …
Join bootmaker Sarah Madeleine T. Guerin for an artist talk as part of our “Salem as Muse” lecture series. Guerin will discuss her bootmaking process in PEM’s Lye-Tapley Shoe Shop, as well as her background, artistic practice and work. PEM’s Curator-at-Large Paula Richter will join her a presentation on PEM’s impressive shoe collection and the history of shoemaking. This program …
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 …
By John Andrews | Content Director, Creative Collective | February 2026 On Wednesday night, a group of us stood inside something historic. The Peabody Essex Museum opened its doors for a press and influencer preview of Edmonia Lewis: Said in Stone — the first major retrospective devoted to a nineteenth-century sculptor who was told, in every way a society can tell someone, that …
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 energy in the Peabody Essex Museum‘s atrium on September 4 was unique. Furthermore, it was not the polite enthusiasm of typical morning panels, but the electric charge of people recognizing transformative change. As leaders gathered for Creative Capital: Investing in Community, organized by PEM in partnership with Creative Collective, they weren’t just discussing programs. Indeed, they were witnessing how …
