Meet Mccalman.co | Strategy-driven creative agency

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mccalman.co and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi McCalman.Co, what do you attribute your success to?
Our success at McCalman.Co is truly a reflection of our team. Every milestone we’ve achieved is thanks to the collective efforts, vision, and dedication of the incredible individuals who have been with us along the way. We are fortunate to have a team that embodies resilience, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to cultural storytelling. Each person brings their own unique perspective, whether it’s in art, strategy, or cultural insight, and it’s that diversity of thought and talent that allows us to continually evolve and thrive.

Our team isn’t just a group of colleagues; we’re a community of thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers who inspire one another every day. We support each other through challenges, celebrate each other’s wins, and push each other to innovate and elevate our work. The culture we’ve built internally is just as important as the cultural capital we bring to our clients, and we take immense pride in the collaborative spirit that drives everything we do.
While there have been many external influences, mentors, and inspirations along the way, it’s our team that truly deserves this shoutout. Their hard work, passion, and dedication to the McCalman.Co vision are the reasons we’ve come this far, and they are the ones shaping the future of our company.

What should our readers know about your business?
What Sets Us Apart:
We like to think of McCalman.Co as Cultural Architects—constructing the frameworks that bring ideas, identities, and stories to life. Our work is about more than design or creative direction; it’s about shaping the cultural landscape through thoughtful, intentional projects that carry meaning. Whether we’re curating exhibitions, collaborating with renowned artists, or developing brand strategies, we approach everything with the mindset of creating something enduring, something that speaks to the broader cultural narrative.

Pride and Excitement:
One of the things we’re most proud of is our ability to make cultural storytelling feel new, intimate, and impactful. Our recent work, whether it’s collaborating with renowned artists like Lava Thomas to highlight her groundbreaking work, or Tricia Hersey on her new highly anticipated book or designing spaces that tell personal, human stories, is all about adding value to culture. We’re especially excited about how we’ve been able to elevate art and design into larger conversations about identity, history, and community. Our upcoming projects, including a curated series of exhibitions and an online print store, are testaments to how we continue to expand our reach and impact.

Our Journey:
Our journey to where we are today has been anything but easy. McCalman.Co was built on a foundation of resilience, vision, and a commitment to cultural storytelling. We often faced the challenge of proving the value of cultural narrative in a world driven by metrics and quick wins. From the very beginning, however, we believed in the power of culture to shape not only brand identities but also human connections. This deep understanding continues to guide every decision we make, from the projects we take on to the partnerships we form.

Lessons Learned:
One of the most important lessons we’ve learned along the way is the value of consistency. We’ve stayed true to our ethos of cultural storytelling, even when the market wasn’t always aligned with it. Building cultural capital takes time—it’s earned through projects that go beyond the surface and create lasting impact. To connect with people on a deeper level, we’ve learned that staying consistent with our vision, even as trends shift, is what keeps our work relevant. We don’t just create for today; we create for tomorrow, shaping the stories that future generations will look back on.
At the same time, culture is constantly evolving, and you have to evolve with it. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow, so staying flexible, adaptable, and attuned to cultural shifts is critical. Finally, we’ve learned that the success of our business isn’t just about one-off projects—it’s about building lasting relationships and partnerships that grow and evolve over time.

What We Want the World to Know:
McCalman.Co is about more than art and design—it’s about crafting experiences that make a cultural impact. We, Miriam Thompson and George McCalman, believe in the transformative power of storytelling, not just as an art form, but as a way to connect people, reshape narratives, and inspire new ways of thinking. We want the world to know that McCalman.Co is a firm dedicated to elevating the cultural conversation, one meaningful project at a time.
We want the world to know that McCalman.Co isn’t just another creative agency. We are cultural cartographers, mapping the stories and ideas that will shape the future. Our story is one of resilience, creativity, and purpose, and we’re committed to helping others tell their stories in a way that resonates and endures.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In San Francisco:
Outerlands
Roberts Regional Park
Tilden Park
Our Ocean Beach art studio
SFMOMA
Zuni Cafe

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Our team. They are so hard working and dedicated to our same vision.

Website: www.mccalman.co, www.thefalconandthefilly.com

Instagram: @mccalmanco, @thefalconandthefilly

Image Credits
Kelly Marshall
Images courtesy of A24
Images courtesy of HarperOne