OUR STORY
The Story Factory, launched and led by Helm Creative Studio in May 2022, is a 27,000 sq. foot corner-block building in Philadelphia, wrapped in mural art and led with a mission to “build stories out to build people up.”
Alloyius Mcilwaine is the international artist who painted our mural, which reaches 20 x 110ft. A Philly native, our space holds his 200th mural within Philadelphia. In 2023, Alloyius returned to complete the mural wrapping our building, along with other collaborating artists.
With recording studios, customizable stages, livestream-worthy lighting and sound, photography studios, a green room, storage areas, meeting rooms, cafe areas, and more, discover the space for your dreams to transform into tangible actions.
We’re built for stories and built for you.
Currently, The Story Factory hosts Helm Creative Studio, CHANGE Church, CitySpheres and iCreate - an after-school music mentorship program which provides a place for students to be off the streets and to process their pain, on-purpose as they create the future sound of Philadelphia.
This is where creatives find a haven and creativity finds a home.
It’s not a community center, but it is built for positive social impact. We are a place for city transformation to take place through content creation, community events, after school programs, and outreach opportunities.
We’re bringing life to our block through celebrating the stories that are within our community, our city, and those who visit from around the world.
FOUNDERS
Ashlee and Elijah Hollis are visionary leaders with the ability to champion creatives. As the Founders of The Story Factory, a space that houses stories and creates content while building people up in the process, they’ve set in motion a new era of storytelling right in the heart of Philadelphia. Other vital businesses and organizations they have founded include CHANGE Church based in Philadelphia, along with CitySpheres, an initiative focused on uniting organizations who do good in the city of Philadelphia, in order for them to maximize their impact, together. Additionally, Ashlee is the President and Founder of award-winning Helm Creative Studio, a certified women-owned business and creative agency that is redefining what it means to lead one’s story, of which Elijah is the Creative Director and Chief Storyteller.
They consistently build a team culture where creatives can thrive and are focused on growth, excellence, clarity, creativity, passion, and heart. Ashlee’s ability to think outside of the box is reshaping how creatives intersect with business, while Elijah is committed to telling stories that are exceptionally crafted and beautifully human focused. Together, they are pioneering what it means to not just focus on the stories being built out, but the people who are being built up in the process.
In addition to the awards won for Helm Creative Studio, Ashlee has received a 2022 Stevie Award for Women in Business as Woman of the Year: Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations, of which she shared the category with women from companies around the world. In addition, in 2023, they won two internationally-recognized Communitas Awards for Excellence in Community Service. Helm won for Leadership in Organization, Creativity & Social Impact: The New Industry Standard, and Elijah and Ashlee won for Making a Difference, Shaping the Future for Youth & Creatives!
When they’re not envisioning their next move to ignite the culture of creativity, you’ll find them sharing moments with their family, traveling across the world, exploring their neighborhood, and enjoying local coffee shops, all while treating the people they meet along the way like they're the most important people in the world.