There’s one belief that drives Ben MacDonald and Mitchell Hurley forward.
“Art is the heartbeat of Halifax,” says MacDonald. “With the current art funding cuts, it only makes it more difficult for our industry to grow. I think it’s important to have a community that stands together and utilizes one another.”
Co-founders of Halifax-based media collective Takeover Productions, they work to strengthen the city’s creative community from the ground up while arts organizations across Nova Scotia continue to navigate funding cuts and uncertainty.
The two young Haligonians say their goal is simple: create opportunities for local artists, musicians and creatives to be seen while building spaces where the arts community can connect, collaborate and grow together.
“We’re just trying to promote local businesses and the community as much as we can,” says MacDonald, the company’s lead videographer and editor.
The pair officially incorporated the business roughly two months ago, though the idea for Takeover began taking shape last fall after the two friends, both longtime supporters of Halifax’s nightlife and arts scene, organized an event for local networking app Pine Social.
“After throwing a successful event, we decided to make a business out of it,” MacDonald says.
Since then, Takeover Productions has worked on music videos, artist interviews and nightlife coverage while organizing networking events aimed at bringing members of Halifax’s arts community into the same room.
Their work has included collaborations with local artists including Craig Matthews and Lindsay Meissner, whose recent music video produced by the company has been gaining traction online.
“We still try to get a bunch of people that are in the arts community in the same room to get them connected with each other,” says MacDonald. “That’s our main goal with the events that we throw.”
The company’s next event is scheduled for June 5 at Lot Six Bar & Restaurant in downtown Halifax and will feature DJs, local artists and community networking opportunities. Hurley says the company wants its events to feel accessible and community-oriented rather than exclusive.
Within just one month of incorporation and roughly six months since beginning their work, Takeover Productions says its content has surpassed 130,000 views across its social media platforms, reflecting growing interest in Halifax’s local arts and nightlife scene.
“Takeover is here for the community,” he says. “If you guys see something that Takeover could be involved with, then reach out.”
For MacDonald, the journey into the arts was not always straightforward.
Growing up, he says he often heard criticism about pursuing creative work professionally, particularly when he wanted to pursue music.
“A lot of people doubted the scope … especially in Halifax, like, you’re never going to make it,” he says.
Despite the skepticism, MacDonald said he continued pursuing creative work because of his passion for music, photography and videography.
“I’d rather be rich in my heart than rich in my pocket,” he says.
MacDonald believes initiatives like Takeover are especially important as artists across the province face reduced arts funding and fewer opportunities.
“With the current art funding cuts, it only makes it more difficult for our industry to grow,” he says. “I think it’s important to have a community that stands together and utilizes one another.”
Hurley, who also works as an auto body technician, says the company’s name originated from his involvement in Halifax’s car community before evolving into the media and events collective it is today.
The two founders credit community mentorship and local collaborators for helping them establish themselves within Halifax’s creative scene. Both highlighted support from Million Vibes and Komodo Dragons Productions, particularly videographer Ben Edwards, for helping them build industry connections and gain experience filming live events.
As Takeover Productions continues to expand, the founders say their focus remains on creating opportunities for emerging artists and encouraging collaboration within the city’s creative industries.
“Takeover isn’t in it for the money or the clout,” MacDonald says. “It’s to help the community grow as one and push local artists and businesses forward.”
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