About NACED
We believe every community has untapped creative potential. Our job is to help unlock it.
Our Mission
NACED advances creative economic development by equipping artists, makers, and cultural organizations with the resources, knowledge, and networks they need to build sustainable creative enterprises — and by helping communities recognize and invest in the creative assets that drive economic resilience.
Our Vision
A nation where creativity is understood, valued, and invested in as a driver of economic vitality — where every community has access to the creative infrastructure it needs to thrive.
Our Core Values
Equity
We center the voices and needs of artists from under-resourced communities, ensuring our programs reach those who need them most.
Community
Creative economies are built on relationships. We invest in the networks, trust, and social capital that make local creativity possible.
Innovation
We embrace new models, partnerships, and ideas — learning from every community we work with to continuously improve our approach.
Impact
We measure what matters. Every program we run is evaluated against real outcomes for artists, communities, and local economies.
15 Years of Building Creative Futures
NACED was founded in 2010 by a group of artists, economists, and urban planners who saw a disconnect: cities were investing heavily in attracting corporations while ignoring the creative entrepreneurs already in their midst.
Our first program was a 10-week business accelerator for visual artists in Chicago. Twenty-two artists enrolled. By the end, 18 had viable business plans and access to small business loans. Three years later, 16 were still running their creative businesses.
That proof of concept sparked a national conversation. Within five years, NACED had expanded to 12 cities, launched a research division, and began advising municipal governments on cultural master planning.
Today, we work across 48 communities, have supported over 1,200 creative entrepreneurs, and our research is cited by city governments and foundations as the standard for understanding creative economic development.
We're proud of how far we've come — and acutely aware of how much work remains. The creative economy touches every sector. When it thrives, communities do too.
Our Team
Dr. Amara Johnson
Executive Director
Former urban planner and practicing sculptor, Amara has spent 20 years at the intersection of arts policy and economic development.
Marcus Rivera
Director of Programs
Marcus brings 12 years of nonprofit leadership and a background in community organizing to NACED's program design and delivery.
Dr. Sarah Kim
Research Director
An economist specializing in cultural industries, Sarah leads NACED's signature research on the economic returns of creative investment.
James Okafor
Development Director
James has raised over $15M for mission-driven organizations and believes deeply in the power of storytelling to move donors to action.
Priya Nair
Communications Manager
Priya shapes how NACED's story reaches the world, with a background in journalism and digital strategy for advocacy organizations.
Luis Morales
Program Officer, Grants
Luis manages our grantmaking portfolio, working directly with artist-entrepreneurs and cultural organizations across our 48 communities.
Join Our Mission
Whether you're an artist, a community leader, a funder, or a policymaker — there's a place for you in the NACED network.