Fueling Sacramento’s Creative Pulse— New Cohort of the CLTRE: EveryDay Creative Program Launches

Creative Startups and CLTRE announce the start of the 2024 EveryDay Creative Program

In partnership with CLTRE and the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture, Creative Startups is proud to announce the launch of the 2024 CLTRE: EveryDay Creative program, welcoming 17 Sacramento-based creative businesses. Building on the success of the 2023 pilot program and recommendations from Creative Startup’s in-depth study of Sacramento’s creative economy, this initiative continues to expand support for local creative entrepreneurs, ensuring they have access to the resources and networks needed to succeed.

Sacramento is rapidly gaining national recognition as a leader in equitable economic growth. According to the 2024 Brookings Institution Metro Monitor Report, the Greater Sacramento region ranks among the top U.S. metros for inclusive and sustainable economic progress. This recognition highlights Sacramento’s commitment to fostering innovation and ensuring economic opportunities reach all residents, particularly in its growing creative sector. The CLTRE: EveryDay Creative Program builds on this momentum by empowering local entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, and resources they need to solidify their ventures and deepen their impact within the city’s dynamic creative economy.

Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, EveryDay Creative focuses on businesses led by people of color, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and low-to-moderate-wealth communities in Sacramento. Participants will receive tailored support in the form of expert-led workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and peer networking opportunities. These tools are key to helping entrepreneurs refine their business models, develop marketing and financial strategies, and pursue sustainable growth. Additionally, the program provides a direct pathway to funding opportunities and exposure, ensuring long-term success for these entrepreneurs.

Scenes from the EveryDay Creative Program kick-off event

Representing a diverse array of industries within the creative economy, the new cohort includes Genuine Marketing Solutions (advertising/public relations), DJ Rock Bottom, The Creative Space, and Rural Mural Magic (immersive experiences), Aktive Audio (car audio fabrication), ILU Innovations, Inc. (product design), Al's Fine Woodworks (furniture making), and Let's Elevate Dance (performing arts).

Other members include Crispin Supper Club (hospitality), TJFJ Sourcing (staffing), Lifestyle Art Space (digital media & publishing), Trayzell White, Algo Bueno Productions and Adapting History (film and streaming media), Blacker the Berry Health & Wellness and Assuage Healing and Holistics (alternative medicine), and Amatoria Fine Art Books (bookstore and retail).

“Sacramento’s creative energy is electric, and these entrepreneurs are fueling that spark,” said Creative Startups CEO Alice Loy. “We’re excited to keep working with CLTRE and the City of Sacramento to provide the region’s innovators with the resources they need to keep pushing boundaries and setting a national example. Together, we’re making sure Sacramento’s creative economy isn’t just growing—it’s unstoppable.”

Creative Startups has been actively involved in shaping Sacramento’s creative economy strategy, working closely with local government and community organizations. In their Sprout to Growth: Cultivating Sacramento’s Creative Economy report, they emphasize the potential of creative businesses to drive innovation, generate jobs, and enhance the city’s unique cultural identity.

The report highlights key areas for development, including building stronger networks for creatives, improving access to financial resources, and expanding the visibility of Sacramento’s creative industries. By offering data-driven insights and actionable recommendations, the report lays the groundwork for strengthening Sacramento's creative ecosystem and positioning the city as a leader in the creative economy.

Discover Creative Startup’s approach to economic development and read the full Sprout to Growth report at www.creativestartups.org. Learn more about the CLTRE: EveryDay Creative program at bit.ly/sseverydaycreative.

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About CLTRE

CLTRE is a nonprofit focused on transforming California’s cultural landscape by 2040 through building, making, and preserving culture in underserved yet vibrant neighborhoods. By supporting local entrepreneurs and creatives, CLTRE promotes inclusive economic development, helping communities sustain and celebrate their unique identities. Offering workshops, mentorship, and creative business development programs, the organization empowers individuals to turn their passions into thriving ventures. CLTRE works closely with local leaders and residents to ensure that the cultural heritage of these neighborhoods remains a vital part of Sacramento’s future.

About Creative Startups

Creative Startups, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has a proven track record developing economic strategies and programs leading to measurable economic growth in the creative industries. At the forefront of the creative economy for 15 years, Creative Startups develops strategic plans for regional governments, supplies in-depth economic analyses of assets and market opportunities, supports cultural and Tribal institutions, and develops and delivers innovative programs for creative entrepreneurs and artists. Through their work across New Mexico, the USA, and the world, Creative Startups has developed a comprehensive understanding of the technologies and trends driving the remarkable expansion of creative industries.