About

Hello, and welcome. I'm Emma.

I first started working as a museum consultant in 2004. Over the next decade I built up a reputation for high quality work, delivering interpretation and evaluation projects for museums across the UK. I then took a break from freelancing, first to have my daughter and then to create the Holocaust Centre North at the University of Huddersfield which tells the story of the Holocaust through the lives and experiences of 16 survivors who made new lives in Yorkshire. 

 

I re-established my freelance business in 2020 so that I could pursue a wider range of projects, follow my interests and create a healther balance between life and work. That last one is an ongoing quest!

 

Some other things about me: I'm a single parent to an autistic 9-year-old who is teaching me how to be patient, listen better and see the world differently. I have caring responsibilities for my mum who is disabled following a stroke. I'm a sociable introvert. I sing alto in a little chamber choir with some friends I've known since school. I'm intermittently researching my family history and very occasionally write about it here.

 

I have a varied portfolio of work that covers interpretation, research and consultation, fundraising, and writing. 

 

Some things I'm curious about: I'm fascinated by the politics of museum interpretation and how we make decisions about the stories we do and don't tell. A lot of my work over the past ten years has involved sensitive histories, by which I mean those that are upsetting, disputed or have challenging implications for the present. I'm interested in how museums can involve more people in telling a broader diversity of stories while retaining historical balance and accuracy, and in how we navigate the contemporary relevance of difficult histories in a way that's respectful, ethical and fair. 

 

emma king consultancy

 

I'm also interested in leadership, organisational development and change management, particularly values-based leadership and organisational cultures. Some of my favourite projects over the past couple of years have involved working with museums to understand the impact of their participatory practice work and unpick the change that is needed for them to truly embed this way of working in their organisations. 

 

The photo shows me with Holocaust survivor Iby Knill, a remarkable woman who has been an inspiration to me and whose story I've been privileged to tell. Sadly Iby passed away at Easter 2022, but her family have kept her website live where you can find out about her story.  

 

I work from my office in West Yorkshire but travel frequently and I love getting out and meeting people. If you're curious about my work or want to talk about the possibility of working together, please contact me for a chat - I'm also over on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Get in touch