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EAST LIVERPOOL — The LEAP Hub officially announces its launch as a new community-centered innovation and entrepreneurship hub designed to help East Liverpool reclaim its creative legacy and build a modern, inclusive creative economy rooted in local talent, entrepreneurship, and community-driven solutions.

Once known as the Pottery Capital of the World, East Liverpool was built by makers, artisans, and entrepreneurs whose creativity powered the local economy and shaped the city’s identity. The LEAP Hub seeks to honor that heritage while reimagining it for the future — positioning East Liverpool as the Creative Capital of the Midwest, where innovation, small businesses, artists, and problem-solvers can thrive.

The LEAP Hub exists to empower individuals with the mindset, skills, and support needed to launch ideas, grow businesses, and solve local challenges. By investing in people and creativity, the LEAP Hub aims to stimulate new economic drivers, strengthen downtown activity, and help create sustainable pathways to opportunity for residents of all ages.

The LEAP Hub is an initiative of the East Liverpool Community Partnership for Revitalization (ELCPR) and will serve as a cornerstone of the city’s broader revitalization strategy. Stu Wallace, executive director, and Lisa Painter, deputy director, will jointly lead the LEAP Hub and oversee all ELCPR initiatives, ensuring a coordinated approach to entrepreneurship, workforce development, creative placemaking, and downtown revitalization.

“East Liverpool was built on creativity,” Wallace said. “Pottery, manufacturing, and craftsmanship once fueled our economy. The LEAP Hub is about reigniting that same creative spirit–this time through entrepreneurship, innovation, and people-centered solutions — so East Liverpool can once again be an economic driver for the region.”

Painter added, “The creative economy isn’t just about art — it’s about problem-solving, small businesses, and community leadership. The LEAP Hub is designed to help residents turn ideas into action and play an active role in shaping the future of East Liverpool.”

LIFTOFF: Launching the creative economy from the ground up

The LEAP Hub’s first official program, LIFTOFF, will launch on Monday, March 2, and serves as the inaugural step in building East Liverpool’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

LIFTOFF is a 10-week entrepreneurial learning experience open to aspiring entrepreneurs, early-stage startups, small business owners, creatives, and community members interested in solving local challenges. No prior business experience is required — just curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn by doing.

The program will be held at Kent State University at East Liverpool, featuring weekly one-hour sessions over 10 weeks, and will culminate in a graduation and business exhibition on Monday, May 4, where participants will showcase ideas, ventures, and community-driven solutions developed throughout the course.

Participants will learn and apply human-centered innovation, a proven approach that focuses on designing solutions with — and for — the people they serve. Through hands-on activities, participants will identify opportunities, ideate, prototype, and test solutions while gaining foundational entrepreneurial skills in legal, financial, and marketing basics. These skills are applicable to new ventures, existing businesses, nonprofits, and neighborhood-based initiatives alike.

The course will be led by Andrea and Anthony Margida, nationally recognized innovation practitioners with extensive experience in human-centered design, entrepreneurship education, and community-based innovation. Together, they have designed and led award-winning programs that help communities build resilient, people-powered economies.

A new chapter for East Liverpool

The launch of the LEAP Hub represents a pivotal moment in East Liverpool’s transformation — bridging the city’s historic identity as a global center of craftsmanship with a forward-looking vision centered on creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

By cultivating a strong creative economy, the LEAP Hub aims to support small business formation, retain and attract talent, activate downtown spaces, and empower residents to shape solutions from within the community.

Community members interested in participating in LIFTOFF or learning more about the LEAP Hub can visit OurLEAPHub.com for program details and application information.