Emma McFarland
www.nesta.org.uk/team/emma-mcfarland/
www.nesta.org.uk/team/emma-mcfarland/
Design Lead, fairer start mission
Emma was design lead for the fairer start mission, integrating design and digital innovation practice in the mission’s work to catalyse impactful and scalable innovation.
Emma is a creative innovator and strategic designer who has worked for most of her career in the arts and cultural sector, directing, designing and producing professional, educational and community based initiatives across dance, performance, museums and film.
She joined Nesta from The National Gallery where she led the innovation programme, embedding design and innovation practice in the creation of on-site and virtual exhibitions and public programmes to engage new, more diverse audiences. She is passionate about the role of design practice in supporting greater cultural democracy and has led pioneering projects with organisations including Studio Wayne McGregor, Trinity Laban, National Dance Network and Diverse City, developing new models of design practice for artistic and instrumental contexts.
Emma started out working in the very different environment of a US investment bank after gaining BA (Hons) Economics. She also worked in the not for profit sector as programme director for the UK arm of Communities that Care, a research and evidence based early prevention programme for targeting young people living in disadvantaged area, and was director of a digital innovation project working with over 2000 agencies in the advice sector.
Alongside her Economics degree, Emma gained MA in Digital Management from Hyper Island and PG Cert Community Dance practice from Trinity Laban.
