Meet Erica Marrello | Founder, Artist, Event Planner – EMM Creative Arts Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erica Maia Marrello and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erica, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to give myself the freedom to create the things I feel most passionate about, to bring inspired ideas to life and be able to share that vision and opportunity with others.

Please tell us more about your business. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

EMM Creative Arts Co. is a boutique Creative Agency with strong roots in Event Planning, Hospitality, Art and Creative Direction. We bring inspired ideas to life and create treasured moments with Authenticity, Creativity and Passion.

It is my experience that the power of a unique moment can transcend through time and over continents. It has always been one of my goals to share and create this with others through my work.

I grew up in the South of Portugal, attending the International School of the Algarve and got my start in events by planning our final year prom. Prom is not a customary practice in Europe, so my colleague and I decided to take it upon ourselves to create that experience.

I think that creating unforgettable memories became naturally important to me because I knew that our time was limited. The inevitability of time passing and being persistent in moving forward is something that has had an immense impact on my life.

After moving back to Vancouver in 2010, I started my career by volunteering at Fashion Week and various other events. I found my passion working backstage, surrounded by the creative chaos, fuelled by adrenaline and the drive to make magic happen, this was the thing that made me feel most alive.

I stayed busy earning skills on as many projects I could find that would give me the experience and quickly moved from assisting to managing a full-range of Event Production aspects – from back-of-house and runway coordination, media relations, designer relations, sponsorship coordination, hair and makeup, creative direction and model casting to front-of-house design, hosting, food and beverage, custom hospitality programs, after parties and almost everything else in-between.

After freelancing for multiple years, I eventually started working for a local production company that specialized in large-scale events, primarily concerts and festivals. The 5+ years I worked with this team were some of the best and most formative of my career. I was inspired and challenged in ways I could never have imagined and helped bring more “impossible” things to life than I can count.

As the company grew I was empowered to lead the Food & Beverage Department which involved managing a team of over 400 event staff as well as planning and running beverage operations for over 22 large-scale events (1,000+ attendees) from April to October.

It was definitely not easy. There has been literal blood, sweat and tears shed many times over but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing all our planning in action and watching the crowds revel and make joyful memories in our hard work.

In addition to the rewards of hard work paying off, I have had some of the most fun and best times of my life working at festivals and events. There is no crew like a festival family and nothing can bring people together like the unforeseen challenges of a large-scale event. We are there together with passion and grit, fulled by the love and art of a good time, working together to make it happen in even the most treacherous conditions. The synergy of a great team is a beautiful thing.

Along with all the amazing parts, Event Production more often than not is an extremely stressful job. We spend months and years planning for sometimes just mere hours of incredible memories. One shot to get it right, frequently with thousands of people watching. It’s really easy to get caught up in the excitement/stress/adrenaline/elation cycle of getting it all done.

In late 2019 through 2020 I suffered a major burnout that made me re-evaluate how I wanted to spend my time. It was clear that the 80/20 (sometimes more like 90/10) – work/life balance I had going was not sustainable and I needed to find a new way to structure how I channeled my passions.

During the global shut down and my forced time off, I was inspired by a close friend to paint a wall in my kitchen to pass the time. Shortly after, my dad saw the piece and encouraged me to continue exploring my talent in art. He asked me to create another mural in his hallway and purchased supplies so I could continue to paint and experiment more freely with canvas. I found some tranquility and inspiration in loud music and a paint brush and have been creating art and directing my own artistic visions ever since.

In September 2021 I officially launched EMM Creative Arts Co.

When putting together my business, it was important to me to start with a strong foundation of core values and a “people first” philosophy. In addition to gaining the freedom to not only choose my projects, I am now realizing creative visions of my own as well as providing that opportunity to others.

The comeback for events in 2022 was wild for us. We had the opportunity to play key roles in amazing projects such as Burnaby Blues Festival, Skratch Bastid’s BBQ, The Cup, UBC Block Party, Harvest Haus Oktoberfest Festival, Abbotsford International Airshow, Squamish Constellation Festival, Ambleside Music Festival, Monstercat Festival, Vancouver International Polo Festival, A Tale of the Forest – Glenmorangie exclusive tasting event, Le Diner en Blanc and more.

Recently, we have shifted focus on expanding the creative side of EMM and have augmented our offerings to include personalized creative photoshoots as well as a full merchandise and apparel line featuring my artwork and prints which has been so much fun and very exciting.

Over the last year I am so proud of how much my team and I have grown and the projects we have completed. It has been a whirlwind filled with incredible people and phenomenal experiences and I am thrilled to see where we are headed.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I would start by seeing what live events were happening while they’re in town. There are so many great music venues and fun cultural events going on in Vancouver that promise a great time.

In addition to the events scene, we have a wide variety of outdoor activities and gorgeous natural sights between the surrounding beaches, parks and mountains to enjoy some time in nature.

I’d show them my favourite spots in my neighbourhood and then maybe a walk in Granville Island, a hike in North Vancouver or some of the great food on Commercial Drive or Downtown.

The drive on the Sea-to-Sky highway is incomparable, a couple of days in Whistler is a must for any first-timer and there are more delectable and diverse restaurants and bars in Vancouver than I can list here. I’d love to make a snack and cocktail-crawl map and jump to a few fun places for a day!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This Shoutout is dedicated to my family and friends who have always been so supportive with my work and creative endeavours.

Website: www.emmcreativearts.com

Instagram: @emm.erica, @emm.creative

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-marrello/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmcreativeartsco

Other: https://www.instagram.com/emm.erica/ https://www.instagram.com/emm.creative/ https://www.instagram.com/emm.gallery/ https://www.instagram.com/emm.wear/

Image Credits
Raqual Dombowsky, Halie Scaletta, EMM Creative Arts Co.