Strong Performances by this Nonprofit
Having a performing arts center has been a goal in Kevin Mitchell’s life since he started acting more than 20 years ago. Although he worked as an actor in New York and Chicago, he wanted to build it in New Bedford, where he grew up and lives now.
The Collective NB is a non-profit performing arts center that provides accessible and affordable artistic experiences and gives local artists a platform to showcase their work. The Collective had been around for a year when Kevin heard about the EforAll South Coast Business Accelerator. He applied for it in the hopes of learning how to run a business and have a sustainable model. “I needed the basic knowledge on taxes and numbers, among other things,” said Kevin.
His favorite part of the program was his supportive cohort, which always helped each other. Working with mentors was extremely helpful and made him realize that sometimes a pushback is the best thing to move you forward. “My mentor meetings were half therapy, half one-on-one instruction. They were so supportive, and the experience wouldn’t be the same without them,” he says.
More than thirty shows have been performed at The Collective since Kevin graduated from EforAll. They are now a 501(c)(3), secured important grant money in 2021, and work with 100 artists, actors, writers, and poets. His next step is to look for their own local space. And Kevin couldn’t be happier, saying, “EforAll made me find a way to talk about my organization that everybody can understand. It brought us to another level.”
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