About Carissa Ainslie & The Meadows

Carissa (she/her) is a queer, creative community arts organizer and project manager with a special interest in connecting artists and creatives with opportunities, spaces and networks. As the current executive director of Creative Pictou County, and coordinator of the 2022 and 2023 Antigonight: Art After Dark festival in Antigonish, Carissa is building a network of north shore Nova Scotian artists.

A 2014 graduate of OCAD University in Toronto, Carissa has returned to her home province of Nova Scotia to start this creative business. Drawn to the number of artists and exciting innovative energy found in Pictou County, Carissa purchased The Meadows property in Meadowville, Nova Scotia, in 2021.

The Meadows is a combination of Carissa’s various skills in arts administration, event planning and bringing together like-minded people.

Carissa is excited to see the business grow and hopes one day The Meadows will become the go-to “hub of activity” where entrepreneurs and artists of all kinds come together to work and create on location.

  • I was a little apprehensive when my dad sent me the listing for this place, having not spent any time in Pictou County growing up. But after doing some research about who was here (tons of amazing artists!) and the support network for new businesses, it was an easy decision. Plus the outbuildings and acreage that came with the property have so much potential! The community has been so supportive, there are so many amazing people here who all want to work together to make Pictou County, and the world, a better place.

  • In 2020 when we were all in that first lock down, I spent some time thinking about what I really wanted to do with my life - I think a lot of us did that same reflection exercise! I thought about what I loved doing - bringing people together, providing opportunities for artists and running my own business - and where I would want to do that: back home in NS! A few iterations later, the idea of the retreat and residency space came together.

    Working in the art world for over ten years, I know the value in supporting artists. This space has been opened to non-creative retreats in the hopes that one day, these bookings will give me the ability to provide an honorarium for artists to create work here.

  • I am so excited to see how people use this space, and I look forward to growing with the business as it evolves. I hope that one day this property can house other entrepreneurs to create an eco-system where we share knowledge and resources to help support the community.