“Culture led community and economic development”
Dr. Gregory (Greg) Baeker is an internationally respected cultural strategist, urban cultural planner, policy advisor, author, and economic development leader whose career has spanned nearly five decades across Canada and the global stage. Recognized as one of the foremost voices in urban cultural planning and culture-led economic development, he has dedicated his professional life to helping communities, creative enterprises, heritage institutions, and governments understand the transformative role that culture and place can play in building vibrant economies and resilient societies. An underlying theme in his work is building human capital and strategic wisdom to leverage change in organizations and communities. Throughout his distinguished career, he has published extensively and is currently read in 43 countries. He has influenced policy, planning frameworks, and development strategies that continue to shape cities, regions, and cultural sectors around the world.
Greg’s professional journey began in the museum and heritage sector, where he developed a deep appreciation for the role that history, identity, and collective memory play in shaping communities. His first position as a Historical Interpreter in Toronto ignited a lifelong passion for preserving and leveraging heritage assets as catalysts for civic engagement and cultural citizenship. He has been a consistent advocate for embracing a holistic vision of heritage as both natural and cultural, tangible and intangible. Heritage is not about the past but is a living resource connecting past, present and future and the source of meaning in our individual and collective lives. This early exposure laid the foundation for a career that would eventually bridge the worlds of culture, public policy, urban planning, economic development, and international advisory work.
As his career evolved, Greg assumed increasingly influential leadership positions across Canada’s cultural landscape. He served as Executive Director of the Ontario Museum Association, where he became a respected national advocate for museums and heritage development. His leadership capabilities were further demonstrated during his tenure as Executive Coordinator of the Ontario Heritage Policy Review, a landmark initiative that established one of Canada’s most comprehensive and influential heritage policy frameworks. The review introduced a ‘whole-of-government’ approach to heritage conservation and development across all government departments establishing policy principles that continue to influence heritage planning today.
Driven by a desire to deepen the relationship between culture and development, Greg pursued doctoral studies in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Waterloo. His PhD research focused on embedding culture in municipal and urban planning systems, a body of ideas and practices that would become one of the defining themes of his career. At a time when culture was often viewed as separate from economic development and city-building, Greg emerged as a pioneering advocate for integrating the two.
In 1998, Greg founded AuthentiCity, a consulting practice that quickly became recognized for its innovative work in cultural planning, creative economies and community development. Under his leadership, AuthentiCity advised municipalities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, creative industries, and development authorities throughout North America. His work challenged conventional thinking by demonstrating that cultural assets are not simply amenities but essential infrastructure that contribute directly to economic prosperity, quality of life, talent attraction, tourism, social cohesion, and ecological sustainability.
Following the success of AuthentiCity, Greg joined MDB Insight a leading economic development consulting practice as Director of Cultural Development. Here he spent nearly a decade leading groundbreaking projects across Canada and internationally. During this period, he became widely recognized for advancing municipal cultural planning as a practical and measurable discipline. His work on initiatives such as Calgary’s Cultural Plan, Toronto’s Creative City Planning Framework, and Detroit’s Cultural Mapping Project established new methodologies for identifying, mapping, and leveraging cultural resources to strengthen economic competitiveness and community vitality. These projects have since become reference points and best practices for cities seeking to integrate culture into long-term planning and development strategies.
Greg’s expertise eventually led him to the international stage, culminating in his appointment as the Founding Director of Cultural Planning and Development for the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi. In this pioneering role, he helped establish and shape cultural and heritage policies and programs within one of the world’s most ambitious cultural development and investment agendas. Working at the intersection of government, heritage and culture, tourism, and economic development, he played a key role in advancing strategies that supported Abu Dhabi’s vision for cultural development, economic diversification, cultural diplomacy and international positioning. He later served as Senior Adviser to the Culture Sector Executive Office, continuing to provide strategic guidance on policy, planning, and strategic initiatives.
Beyond his executive leadership roles, Greg has maintained a strong commitment to education, research, and thought leadership. He served as an instructor in the Arts Management Program at the University of Toronto at Scarborough and has mentored countless professionals working in cultural management, urban planning, and economic development. His publishing has spanned academic and professional journals and is widely read globally reflecting the continued relevance of his work and ideas. His landmark publication, Rediscovering the Wealth of Places: A Municipal Cultural Planning Handbook for Canadian Communities, remains one of the most influential resources in the field of cultural planning. He is currently working on two books. The first is a second edition of Rediscovering the Wealth of Places. The second is an international book Cultural Planning in Practice: Planning Culturally in Cities and Regions. In a multipolar world it is a multipolar book with contributors from all 5 continents, including authors from Iran and China.
Throughout his career, Greg has been a trusted advisor to governments, international organizations, academic institutions, and cultural agencies. His work with UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and numerous public and private sector organizations has reinforced his reputation as a strategic thinker capable of bridging policy, governance, and implementation. Over the course of his career, he has served on numerous boards, advisory committees, and professional associations, contributing his expertise to advancing cultural research, creative industries, workforce development, and public policy initiatives.
At the core of Greg’s work are three deeply held values. First is his belief in place-based solutions—this is the conviction that people don’t ‘live in nations’ but live in specific cities and regions and that this is where the challenges we face are best confronted. Second is his commitment to combatting the false equation of arts and culture and his conviction that ‘if you only have arts, you don’t have culture; you need at least arts and heritage before you have culture’. Third is his unwavering belief that racial diversity must be represented in the public sphere including our cultural and media infrastructure and among elected officials and governance systems. He is adamant we are far from these goals.
Today, after nearly fifty years of professional accomplishment, Greg remains an influential voice in conversations surrounding culture, economic development, heritage conservation, and urban transformation. With an international reputation, and a legacy of innovation that spans multiple continents, he continues to inspire policymakers, planners, cultural leaders, and communities seeking to create sustainable futures. While retired from full-time executive responsibilities, he remains passionate about contributing his experience, strategic insight, and governance expertise to organizations and boards where he can help shape meaningful and lasting impacts.
Character:
Greg demonstrates integrity, humility, and a profound commitment to advancing both public interests and economic development and rejecting the false binary that says we cannot have both at the same time. He consistently prioritizes the long-term interests of communities and organizations over short-term gains. His dedication to inclusion, cultural stewardship, and ethical leadership has earned the respect of colleagues and stakeholders across Canada and internationally.
Knowledge:
He possesses an extraordinary depth of interdisciplinary expertise spanning cultural policy, urban planning, heritage conservation, governance, and economic development. His academic achievements and nearly fifty years of professional experience provide a unique perspective that few leaders can match. His published work and international advisory engagements demonstrate a mastery of complex issues affecting communities, governments, and cultural institutions.
Strategic:
Greg is recognized for his ability to connect culture, planning, and economic growth into cohesive strategies that generate measurable outcomes. He excels at identifying emerging opportunities and translating visionary ideas into practical frameworks for action. His leadership has shaped transformative initiatives that continue to influence cities, organizations, and policy environments long after implementation.
Communication:
An accomplished communicator, educator, author, and public speaker whose ideas have reached audiences around the world. He has a remarkable ability to explain complex concepts in ways that inspire understanding, collaboration, and action. Through writing, teaching, advisory work, and public engagement, he has become a trusted voice in the fields of culture, planning, community and economic development.
