Mayor Hosts First Content Creator Summit to Connect Influencers and City Programs

Back Bay, Boston, October 26, 2025

News Summary

Boston’s first-ever Content Creator Summit was hosted by Mayor Michelle Wu in Back Bay, gathering local social media creators and municipal leaders. The summit aimed to forge connections between digital influencers and city programs, encouraging creators to amplify the city’s messages and promote local events. Attendees, including influential creators from various genres, exchanged tips on audience growth and monetization. City officials emphasized the importance of involving content creators in civic engagement, underscoring the city’s strategy to adapt to new forms of media consumption.

Boston

Mayor Hosts First Content Creator Summit to Connect Influencers and City Programs

The city held its first-ever Content Creator Summit in Back Bay, bringing local social media creators together with municipal leaders to explore ways to integrate digital influence into civic engagement. Mayor Michelle Wu cradled her infant daughter while welcoming guests at Boston’s first-ever Content Creator Summit held in the new lobby of Gupta Media in Back Bay. City officials framed the summit as a step toward using creators as amplifiers of city messages and as partners in promoting events and services.

Who attended and what happened

The summit featured a diverse mix of Boston’s social media creators spanning various genres like fashion, food, comedy, and civic engagement. Many attendees who had interacted online for years met in person for the first time, producing a reunion-like atmosphere where creators exchanged practical tips on building audiences, avoiding burnout, and monetizing creative work.

Featured creators included:

• Kate Weiser (@bucketlistboston) with 195,000 followers on Instagram
• Sam Westby (74,000 Instagram; 51,000 TikTok), Ph.D. candidate and bikefluencer
• Gia Bueno (@giamiapia_) with 44,000 Instagram followers
• Koko Dubuisson (@hautekoture) with 16,000 Instagram and 29,000 TikTok followers
• Melissa Valdez (@missmelivaldez) with 13,000 Instagram followers
• Joe Fenti (@fentifriedchicken) with 415,000 Instagram and 331,000 TikTok followers
• Maureen Dahill (@caughtinsouthie) with 51,000 Instagram followers

City strategy and future plans

City Hall described the summit as part of a broader strategy to incorporate creators into Boston’s civic narrative and to use them as amplifiers of the city’s messages. Officials signaled plans to continue involving content creators in city initiatives, including promoting events like “New Edition Day” and the launch of late-night food trucks. Organizers placed particular emphasis on reaching younger residents who increasingly consume information through social platforms rather than traditional media.

Economic and sector context

Officials and attendees placed the summit within a national and local economic context. Joseph Zeal-Henry, Boston’s Director of Cultural Planning, noted that the city’s creative sector has grown significantly, with an estimated 70,000 jobs in the creative economy. At the national level, The overall creator economy in the U.S. is projected to be worth $250 billion, with expectations of growth to nearly $500 billion by 2027. Industry forecasts cited at the event also indicated that Advertising spending on influencers is forecasted to exceed $10 billion by 2025, reflecting expanding brand investment in creator marketing.

Changing role of creators and local examples

Speakers and participants argued that influencers are increasingly viewed as serious contributors to cultural and civic conversation rather than only as entertainers. Local examples included a Boston media creator who described blending journalistic practices with influencer engagement to reach audiences more directly and a musician and content creator who used social media to highlight Boston offerings and shared how community support aided recovery after a serious bike accident.

Event atmosphere and takeaways

The gathering resembled a dinner party in tone, with creators exchanging tips and tricks for content creation while discussing practical challenges such as audience growth, burnout prevention, and monetization strategies. The summit underscored a continuing shift in media consumption behavior, as younger audiences increasingly turn to social media for information rather than traditional outlets.

Background

The summit took place in the new lobby of Gupta Media in Back Bay and marked a municipal effort to adapt communications and outreach to digital platforms. The meeting reflected both local sector growth and broader industry trends that position creators as influential participants in civic life and cultural exchange.

Event Details and Featured Creators

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

Additional Resources

• Boston Magazine: Future of Media
• Wikipedia: Influencer Marketing
• Boston Magazine: Influencers Class Photo
• Google Search: Content Creator Summit Boston
• NBC Boston: LGBTQ Influencers
• Google Scholar: Boston Creative Economy
• Favikon: Top Boston Influencers
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Social Media
• CBS News: Dorchester Family Dollar Conditions
• Google News: Boston Influencers

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