Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA

Montserrat College of Art, an independent institution of art, provides an intensive visual arts education that will enable students to sustain a lifelong involvement in art and design and to become informed, responsible members of society.  In addition, Montserrat is committed to contributing to the cultural life of its surrounding communities. Through its degree, diploma, and community based programs, Montserrat offers a continuing array of public programs, such as exhibitions, artist talks, adult and Pre-College programs, which enhances the cultural life of our campus and the surrounding communities. www.montserrat.edu

The Enterprise Center at Salem State College

The Enterprise Center at Salem State College is a small business incubator and a virtual center for entrepreneurs throughout Boston's North Shore.  It serves businesses at every stage of development from startup through growth, offering more than 70 programs a year—most of them free—to small business owners and nonprofit managers.  In addition to its efforts to grow the region’s creative economy, the Center leases office space and hosts numerous other popular programs, including the 128 Venture North Breakfast series, the Million Dollar Women(sm), and the annual North of Boston Business Plan Competition.   www.enterprisectr.org

The Salem Partnership

The Salem Partnership is a public/private leadership organization directly involved in determining the outcome of issues critical to the greater Salem community.  Its goal is to bring all sectors of the region together and, through a strong community, to create a prosperous business climate.  The Partnership focuses on specific projects; developing and supporting the local creative economy is one of three major initiatives.  www.salempartnership.org

The Creative Economy Initiative

The Enterprise Center at Salem State College, the Salem Partnership, and the Creative Economy Association of the North Shore (CEANS) are the lead partners in what is often referred to as the Creative Economy Initiative. This is a cooperative effort to increase revenues generated by the North Shore’s creative economy and to make the creative economy an engine for economic development in the entire region.