Salem 'Bump' Kicks Off Creative North Shore's Ten-City Initiative

It's called the creative economy, and it's playing an increasingly vital role in local business growth, as evidenced by a ten-city initiative to promote economic growth in this sector.

Creative businesses of the North Shore generate more than $3 billion in annual sales, comprise over 2200 businesses and employ over 20,000 workers. These were the findings of a comprehensive study commissioned by the Enterprise Center at Salem State College, the Salem Partnership, and the Creative Economy Association of the North Shore.

Using these findings, ten key communities of the North Shore of Massachusetts, the Enterprise Center and the Salem Partnership have come together in the Creative North Shore Initiative to promote continued economic growth in this thriving sector. Key communities identified include: Amesbury, Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Lynn, Marblehead, Newburyport, Peabody, Rockport and Salem. These account for 73 percent of the creative enterprises on the North Shore.

Creative economy organizations are those that have their origin in creativity, skill and talent where the potential for wealth and job creation comes through the generation of ideas, products and/or services. Not only does this include artists, writers and musicians that may first come to mind, but also engineers, researchers, museum curators, consultants, graphic designers, advertisers, software developers, architects, marketers, and many more.

The mission of this initiative is to grow the creative economy, promote the region as a recognized and unique center of creativity and innovation, and build a collaborative and coordinated regional approach to developing this sector. Its priority is to promote an action plan while working with government, educational, and business leaders to promote business between creative economy members and the broader regional, national and global economy.

One of the premier features of the initiative was launched in with the first ever "creative bump," an event designed to bring members of Salem's creative economy together to stimulate additional business and collaboration. Salem is home to over 200 creative economy organizations, and they filled the room in this first ever event. Similar events are scheduled in the other key cities and towns. At the bump, Mayor Driscoll proclaimed July 24 to be Creative Economy Day and stated her support for the continued growth of this sector in Salem.