At The Commons Collective, we help connect people, places, and experiences in thoughtful ways. Whether we’re helping an organization open its doors to new audiences, introducing a client to the perfect venue, or designing an experience from the ground up, our work is guided by the same idea: where we gather shapes how we gather.
The setting is never just a backdrop - it’s a part of the story and not all venues are created equal.
We’re drawn to places with character - museums, theatres, galleries, historic buildings, innovation hubs, private homes, and other spaces that tell a story before a guest even walks through the door.
The setting shapes the experience and a remarkable space can spark curiosity, encourage conversation, and create moments that simply couldn’t happen anywhere else.
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how we work
creating meaningful gatherings
How we work
The Commons Collective brings together three complementary practices, each focused on a different aspect of creating meaningful gatherings and successful venues.
The Assembly
Unlocking the Gathering Potential of Remarkable Places
The Assembly works with cultural institutions, museums, galleries, theatres, innovation hubs, and unique venues to develop sustainable event businesses. Through strategy, commercialization, operations, and venue management, we help organizations share their spaces with new audiences while supporting their broader mission.
The Commons
Connecting People with Exceptional Places
The Commons represents and promotes a curated collection of distinctive venues. We help clients discover spaces that reflect the character and purpose of their event, while helping venue partners welcome new audiences and opportunities.
Polite Society
Designing Experiences Worth Gathering For
Polite Society focuses on the experience itself. Through event design, coordination, cultural programming, salons, dinners, and community experiences, we create gatherings that are thoughtful, memorable, and deeply connected to the people and places involved.
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The Assembly
Unlocking the Gathering Potential of Remarkable Places
The Assembly
Some places leave an impression long before an event begins.
We work with spaces that bring a sense of character, story, and atmosphere that cannot be replicated in a conventional event venue.
By thoughtfully broadening how places are used, we create opportunities for new audiences, meaningful experiences, and additional revenue - all while supporting the long-term goals of the organizations that steward them.
Through strategy, business development, venue management, and operational support, we help our partners create sustainable event businesses that complement their broader purpose. Whether acting as an advisor, implementation partner, or white-label venue management team, we provide the infrastructure, expertise, and day-to-day support required for long-term success.
We help remarkable places welcome more people, create more experiences, and generate new sources of revenue without compromising what makes them special in the first place.
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how we partner
Great Expectations
how we partner
Every organization has different goals, resources, and internal capacity. Whether you’re exploring new event opportunities, launching a venue program, or looking for ongoing support, our partnerships are designed to be flexible.
The Assembly supports organizations across four key areas:
Strategic advising
For organizations seeking guidance, planning, and expertise.
We provide venue assessments, commercialization strategy, business planning, pricing recommendations, positioning, and operational guidance to help organizations make informed decisions and identify opportunities for growth.
Business Development & Implementation
For organizations ready to build or strengthen an event business.
We help establish the systems, processes, partnerships, and operational foundations required for long-term success, including sales strategy, venue positioning, staffing recommendations, and business development support.
Venue Management & Operations
For organizations seeking an experienced partner to manage some or all aspects of their event business.
Acting as an extension of your team, we can support venue sales, inquiry management, bookings, client communication, operational coordination, and ongoing venue management while maintaining a seamless experience for clients and stakeholders.
Capacity Building & Training
For organizations looking to develop internal expertise.
We provide mentorship, training, and advisory support to help teams build confidence, strengthen internal capacity, and create sustainable systems for long-term success.
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our perspective
our experience
our perspective
We understand venues from multiple perspectives.
Our experience spans venue ownership, venue management, event production, commercialization, and leadership within cultural and community organizations. We’ve worked with museums, theatres, galleries, innovation hubs, workplaces, and other unique spaces to develop successful event businesses while also supporting clients in bringing events to life within them.
This perspective allows us to see opportunities - and challenges - from all sides. We understand the goals of the organization, the expectations of the client, and the operational realities required to bring the two together successfully.
As operators, we know that a successful event business requires more than a strategy. It requires systems, processes, sales, partnerships, and ongoing management. Our role is not simply to provide recommendations, but to help build the infrastructure required to make those recommendations work in practice.
Most importantly, we believe that every organization is different. Rather than applying a standardized model, we work with each partner to develop an approach that reflects the character of their space, supports their broader purpose, and creates a sustainable foundation for long-term success.
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The People
our team
The People Behind The Assembly
The Assembly brings together three complementary perspectives.
Erynn sees the possibilities. With a background spanning entrepreneurship, design, cultural leadership, and venue development, she focuses on strategy, positioning, partnerships, and identifying opportunities that help organizations grow while remaining true to their purpose.
Zach makes ideas work. An entrepreneur, community builder, and operator, he specializes in business development, relationship building, operations, and translating strategy into practical action.
Catherine brings it all together. With extensive experience in venue coordination and event delivery, she ensures clients, partners, vendors, and guests experience a seamless process from first inquiry to final event.
Together, we combine strategy, operations, and execution to help remarkable places become successful gathering places.
Erynn
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Erynn is an entrepreneur, designer, venue owner, and organizational leader with more than two decades of experience creating places, experiences, and communities.
As co-founder of The Commons, she helped build an award-winning business recognized for its contribution to Calgary’s entrepreneurial, events and creative community. Her career has spanned graphic design, interior design, event design, entrepreneurship, nonprofit leadership, cultural programming, venue development, and executive leadership within the cultural sector.
This interdisciplinary background shapes her approach to strategy, partnerships, business development, and venue commercialization. Combining creative thinking with operational and leadership experience, she helps organizations create sustainable event businesses that reflect the character, purpose, and potential of the spaces they steward.
zach
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Zach is an entrepreneur, venue owner, community builder, and business operator with extensive experience in business development, operations, real estate, and venue management.
As co-founder of The Commons, he helped build and grow one of Calgary’s most recognized coworking and events businesses, creating a thriving community and a successful multi-use venue model. His experience spans business ownership, property management, partnership development, operations, and facility management.
Known for his ability to connect people, identify opportunities, and turn ideas into action, Zach focuses on business development, operational excellence, and building strong relationships that support long-term success.
Catherine
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Catherine brings extensive experience in venue coordination, event logistics, and client service, with a background that includes many years in Calgary’s event rental and décor industry.
Her expertise spans venue bookings, event coordination, vendor management, and client support. She plays a key role in ensuring events are delivered seamlessly and that clients, venue partners, and guests receive exceptional service throughout the process.
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Let’s talk about what’s possible
Whether you’re exploring a new venue opportunity, looking to strengthen an existing event business, or seeking an experienced partner to support venue operations, we’d be happy to learn more.
