Memphis Record Pressing partners with the City of Memphis Office of Creative & Cultural Economy (OCCE) to produce limited edition t-shirts based on OCCE’s 2026 theme: Memphis Close-Knit & Lit.
The Office of Creative & Cultural Economy was launched in October 2024 as part of Mayor Young’s vision for a thriving arts and culture sector as the base for Memphis’ economic growth. For 2026, the Office’s guiding theme is Memphis Close-Knit & Lit, a phrase initially inspired by the visual art work of local artist Brittany Boyd Bullock. Bullock’s work titled, Close Knit, features different textiles and connected patterns, resembling to OCCE’s Director, DeMarcus Suggs, the essence of Memphis’ creative community.
Suggs sought out Memphis Record Pressing to collaborate on the design of a shirt for the Office to launch around the City’s annual 901 Day celebration. MRP’s Chris Kelly led the design, interpreting Bullock’s inspiring work, the Office’s theme for the year, and Memphis Record Pressing’s needle to record connection, playing on the knitting needle concept.
Connecting these threads of the community and creative ties that make Memphis a city like no other, a portion of the proceeds from the limited-edition shirts will seed a Live Culture at the Cannon Fund, a resource created by OCCE to subsidize costs for local arts organizations to utilize the Cannon Center for Performing Arts, one of the city’s cultural assets.
