Team
Creative North Shore is the community/lifestyle division of Creative Collective LLC.
Creative Collective LLC connects creativity, community, and commerce across the North Shore. As a collective of creative professionals, small businesses, organizations, and individuals we coordinate a series of events, traditional and non-traditional marketing initiatives, resources, and best practices to define why creativity matters in all aspects of life. We do this by providing opportunities and online marketing, detailed calendar listings, media coverage, advocacy, event creation/ management and consultations to help promote local artists, nonprofits, and small businesses.
John Andrews (He/Him)
Founder & President
John Andrews is a locally renowned creative thought leader who directs the consultancy arm of Creative Collective. He is the go-to idea guy for implementing intricate creative projects, navigating new ground with municipalities and city leaders, figuring out clever solutions to complex logistical problems, and for connecting the dots between artists, dreamers, organizations, and decision makers in cities across industries by getting everyone in a room together and making them talk to each other.
As founder and Executive Director of Creative Collective, he spends his waking hours educating people on how the intersection of the creative workforce and economic development impacts and benefits communities throughout Essex County. He leads in managing and facilitating projects for municipalities, organizations, and businesses that understand the importance of creating better opportunities at this intersection.
John was awarded Person of the Year (Daily Item) and Small Business of the Year (Salem Chamber of Commerce) in 2021 for the support he gave the small business community and local creators through the first year of COVID. He also sits on many boards and committees including the Salem Public Art Commission and the ECCF Creative County Initiative and NextGen Philanthropy Initiative. He strategically aligns that work with consultancy projects completed in Beverly, Salem, Peabody, Lynn, and Lawrence.
In the few moments when he’s not advocating for those he represents through his various roles, John can be seen out and about with his camera capturing the character and spectacle of the North Shore, drinking a daily gallon of iced coffee at Gulu Gulu Café, or just generally being a big film nerd.
Email him at john@creativecollectivema.com
Arielle Kaplan (She/Her)
Director of Operations
Arielle Kaplan is the sparkly pink rhinestone covered branch of Creative Collective responsible for managing all the administrative aspects of the membership and of the organization itself. Essentially, she keeps the organization running smoothly, allowing the rest of the team the freedom to be the agents of chaos they pride themselves on being. Got a membership question? Having a ribbon cutting or special event that you think deserves special attention? Can’t access your member portal? Arielle is the person to talk to.
A professional actor, sewist, violence designer, and cosplayer - working under the name InevitableBetrayal, Arielle is an LGBTQ+, Jewish woman who spends her free time educating the masses about Jewish history on TikTok or working on ridiculously over designed cosplays. Some of her prominent theatrical roles include the complex and beguiling Mrs. Frost for the series Mrs. Hawking (now available in a digital format) and the title role in the world premiere of Miriam: a new musical.
She is the Executive Officer of Alderaan Base for the Rebel Legion and the Diversity and Inclusion Officer for New England Garrison of the 501st Legion – two international Star Wars costuming organizations created by, of and for people interested in creating costumes from the Star Wars mythos with a philanthropic bent, and a proud graduate of Brandeis University.
Email her at arielle@creativecollectivema.com
Tia Cole (She/Her)
Special Projects Manager
Tia Cole is the on staff implementation expert who takes the team’s wild and innovative ideas and translates them into something tangible and workable. As an interdisciplinary local artist, community organizer, arts advocate, Tia has a throughline to the needs of working artists which she continues to use to educate the community about the benefits of the arts and its impact on regional and economic development.
In her role at Creative Collective, she has facilitated multiple public art projects in partnership with the Lynn Cultural Council, Artist Row Salem, and both the Lynn and Salem Public Arts Commissions. She dedicates her time to supporting the creative economy through community building and placemaking. She was a founding board member of Galleries at Lynn Arts, the Brickyard Collaborative makerspace, and Lynn Main Streets.
She is also a founding member of Mutual Aid Lynn, a board member for the social justice group Prevent the Cycle, Chair of the Lynn public art commission, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Email her at tia@creativecollectivema.com
Kati Nalbandian (She/Her)
Director of Engagement
Kati Nalbandian is a creative and compassionate arts administrator who believes in the power of the arts to effect positive change. Kati has experience in communications, marketing, events, administrative support, and fundraising. Kati works hard to drive the company's growth and enhance its brand awareness. Kati also coordinates with other team members to develop and implement membership benefits and to maximize member and partner engagement.
She has M.S. in Arts Administration from Boston University and graduate certificate in Fundraising Management. Kati holds a role with ECCF's Creative County Initiative as Program Assistant and serves on the Beverly Cultural Council.
In addition to her work as an arts administrator, Kati is also a queer multidisciplinary artist who works in performance, writing, and mixed media painting. Her practice is centered at the intersection of wellness and creativity, and she believes that this perspective is critical for all artists and activists.
Email her at kati@creativecollectivema.com
EVENTS
There really is no better way then to show off highlights of what the creative economy can bring to the community than using events as a platform to showcase the professionals that work in the creative space on a daily basis.
From Drive-Ins to Horror Festivals to flash mobs to pop up art installations, Food Truck Festivals and everything in between we are always following industry trends for the most successful way to run events that compensate artists/creatives and benefit the community through creative placemaking.
ADVOCACY
By fostering local creatives with a network and platform to showcase their skills and talents we facilitate creative networking, gather comprehensive event listings, consult, market and stand as a central curation point for all the wonderful cultural things currently happening, and those on the horizon around Salem. Our members sit on all the major creative and cultural boards and committees ensuring that the creative professional always has a voice at the table. As a member of the Creative Collective we are also able to extend beyond Salem if it is beneficial to the artists/creatives we support.
COVERAGE AND MARKETING
Arts and creativity are visual. The coverage, promotion and marketing of all the amazing things that are created, performed needs to be equally as appealing to the eyes, ears and soul. Through a series of best marketing practices and high quality professional photography, videography, social media coverage and writing we have introduced hundreds of thousands of people to the depth and diversity of the creative scene in Salem and beyond. Our collective of professionals assemble and tell the stories that traditional media tends to shy away from. The combined tools help to shape the new narrative of creativity on the North Shore.
