Carly Frey

As a Partner at Nordicity, Carly brings an international perspective to shaping the growth and impact of the creative and cultural economy. She advises governments and institutions on strategies, policies, and programs that empower creators, strengthen cultural ecosystems, and advance inclusive growth.

Over the past twenty years, she has built deep expertise in cultural governance, cultural relations, the creative economy, social impact, and master planning – working across all levels of government. Prior to Nordicity, Carly was based in East Africa for several years, supporting organizations such as UNESCO, UN-Habitat, and the Aga Khan Foundation on culture and development initiatives. After completing her MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics, she remained in the UK as the British Council’s lead advisor for its Creative Economy program in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Carly is a former member of UNESCO’s Expert Facility for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and Chair of the Board of the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture. She is a member of the Mayor of Vancouver’s Business Growth Task Force, and a fiddle player for the Juno-nominated Canadian indie-folk quartet, The Fugitives.

A creative thinker at heart, Carly is somewhat obsessed with co-developing innovative – and often unconventional – solutions to her clients’ challenges. She was drawn to Nordicity’s collaborative spirit and the opportunity to highlight the transversal role of culture across a range of projects (and borders). Carly thrives on creating spaces where people, institutions, and places can respond to challenges with local impact and global relevance.