Erin McDonald (they/she)

Practice Name: EMC³ Consulting (formerly EM Museum Consulting)
Role: Founder, Cultural Strategist and Consultant

Bio:
Erin McDonald comes from settler roots and currently resides on Treaty 6 Territory in Amiskwacîwâskahikan. A cultural strategist and consultant, Erin's practice bridges heritage-informed planning, arts funding strategy, and civic transformation. Through their consulting practice, Erin leads complex, equity-driven projects that integrate cultural policy, adaptive reuse, and collaborative governance for municipalities, non-profits, and regional networks.

Recent consulting engagements include guiding a multi-phase cultural revitalization strategy for the City of Leduc, encompassing operational model evaluation, community consultation, and sustainable planning for Dr. Woods' House Museum, as well as conducting a cultural asset needs analysis for the Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts. These projects demonstrate Erin’s ability to translate sector trends, community voice, and municipal priorities into actionable, strategic pathways.

Most recently, Erin served as Director of Investments, Services, and Partnerships at the Edmonton Arts Council, where they led citywide investment portfolios, policy frameworks, and grant program redesigns. They hold an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business and a Master of Cultural Heritage from Deakin University. A recipient of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 award and a Toastmasters International-certified communicator, Erin is recognized for their ability to synthesize complexity into practical, resilient solutions that centre creativity, community care, and strategic foresight.

Areas of Interest:
Cultural Infrastructure Planning
Heritage Strategy & Adaptive Reuse
Public Art & Placemaking
Culturally Responsive and Ethical Collections Stewardship
Equity-Informed Arts & Culture Investment
Community Governance & Civic Engagement
Evaluation & Strategic Foresight

Things you want to learn:
I'm seeking deeper dialogue with others, building systems of cultural stewardship that honour identity, sustainability, and innovation. I want to learn how cultural practitioners are integrating lived experience and Indigenous knowledge systems into governance, policy, and investment, and how we can collectively imagine new futures for public cultural spaces.

Things you want to see changed in our sector:
I want to see cultural work valued not just for outputs, but for the relational, structural, and emotional labour it entails. I hope for a sector that embraces shared governance, reconciliation in action, and a shift away from extractive funding models, instead building on trust, care, reciprocity, and resilience.