Participants

Adriana Ruiz is a classical musician and cultural producer with a passion for impactful projects that reach worldwide audiences. MBA graduate & Fulbright scholar, she is the founder of CULTARU, a cultural projects consultancy that works with companies and festivals in Spain providing support and strategizing in areas such as production, marketing, outreach, impact evaluation and financial reporting. 

In 2023, she collaborated with the Godella International Chamber Music Festival and the Es Migjorn Gran Early Music Festival, managed funding applications for Miracor Films’ audiovisual productions and provided tour support for IMUSICA’s ensembles and artists. Adriana also works as marketing coordinator for OAcademy Music Conservatory and regularly delivers workshops and presentations on entrepreneurship and career development for students in vocational training and music colleges. 

Projects for 2024 include the development of a cooperative business providing access to music education in Manacor (Mallorca) in alignment with the New European Bauhaus vision, and a podcast about young creators in the cultural and creative industries in Spain. 

Adriana was a 2021 Global Leaders Institute Fellow, and a 2022 Cultural Affairs Fellow at the Embassy of Spain in Egypt, where she led digital outreach and virtual programming for Spanish language students at the college level. She is interested in intercultural issues and relations, and committed to sharing powerful stories of inspiration with a progressive, feminist, decolonial point of view.

Alba Çakalli from Prizren has been part of DokuFest for 10 years now. Initially, she was engaged as a volunteer coordinator, then a program assistant, and later as a project manager in the DokuLab department, a department which aims to contribute to the non-formal education of young people in Kosovo through the screening of documentary films and the promotion of debates with the aim of developing critical thinking. Since 2020, Alba continues to contribute to DokuFest in the position of Festival Producer. Engaged in such activities, through her values and skills, Alba constantly tries to dedicate herself to empowering the youth towards the challenges of social development.

Alia is a professional dreamer. She is also a cultural strategist, artist and facilitator working at the intersection of art and social and environmental justice. Her practice uses the arts to interrogate the fundamental causes of inequality and explore alternative modes of understanding the world and being in it. She has worked with national and international organisations, including the National Theatre and the British Council, to create critical encounters in education and the arts towards collective liberation. She has curated a range of interventions and creative disruptions, from local corner shops to world-renowned museums. Alia is a Chevening Scholar, a Clore Leadership Fellow and Associate, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She volunteers as a coach and mentor with those experiencing reduced access to opportunities in the cultural and creative industries. She is a recipient of the Writer's Guild Olwen Wymark Award for the encouragement of new writing in 2019 and was nominated for a BAFTA Scotland in 2008. She is Joint CEO at Shubbak Festival.

Allison Singer is an associate director of signature events at Virginia Commonwealth University. A former ballerina of 17 years and a lifelong singer, she likens the process of events to that of a performance: the planning akin to practice, the vendor walk through being the rehearsal, the day of the event as the show. Events to Allison are a way to create memories, foster connections, and inspire people through a shared experience. Her decade of event planning started at a literary non profit in Philadelphia. It was here, while wearing many other hats in the organization, that she knew event planning was meant to be her professional focus. She continued her path at the VCU College of Engineering coordinating creative student engagement events, project expos, receptions and most notably a NASA conference. She was recently scouted by the university's development and alumni relations and has spent the last year coordinating donor and alumni stewardship events. Her affinity for art, world culture, and live music have always been integral to her lifestyle. When not working or freelance event coordinating, you will find her dancing salsa, at a concert, experimenting in the kitchen, or adventuring to other countries. She deeply desires to pivot her professional event career trajectory within the realm of the arts. 

Amance Riquois-Tilmont holds two master's degrees in performing arts, decolonial studies and cultural project engineering. Specializing in dance and the development of atypical, site-specific programs that explore the links between art, architecture and landscape, she coordinates and participates in the artistic programming of several projects within different multidisciplinary structures. 

Based in Bordeaux-France, she is currently in charge of territorial projects at « Scène National Carré Colonnes » and « FAB - Festival International des Arts de Bordeaux Métropole ». Since 2016, she has been involved in the coordination of the Marrakech International Contemporary Dance Festival - On Marche, which has been committed to dance in Morocco for 17 years and hosted the Dance Biennial in Africa in 2021.  

She also co-founded the associations ter-ter and Antennes, two production and support structures for artistic projects that choose to engage with artists, researchers, cultural operators or scientists who question our world in transition. Two structures that are interested in singular experiences that give priority to relationships, and in contemporary writing that brings forms, gestures and research processes into resonance with contemporary political, ecological and social issues. Those that don't allow themselves to be boxed in by disciplines, and that imagine new ways of addressing spectators, inhabitants, citizens... 

Ana-Maria Sotirova has dedicated the past five years to festival management: learning more about this curious field through workshops, discussions, and the organization of a few festivals, including her own personal project: the IPFF (or the International Portrait Film Festival). Her interests, fascinations and dreams are focused in cinema and cinema's possible interactions with other arts and forms of expression. She graduated with a BA degree in “Film” at the University of Reading, as well as a master’s degree in “Film Studies” at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Right after finishing her MA in 2019, she went back to her hometown in Varna and dedicated time to two festivals which she initially knew through being a volunteer: RADAR Festival Beyond Music and Moving Body Festival. She doesn't work with them directly anymore, but is still friends with their founders and continues to be a an audience member and a frequent collaborator as an author within the online column “Translation on Air” writing articles on screendance works that are part of the Moving Body Festival program. In 2020, she moved to Sofia and founded the International Portrait Film Festival which presents short portrait films from around the world within a 10-day festival in four Bulgarian cities: Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Varna. The main goal of the festival is to start a discussion on the cultural phenomenon that is the portrait and how it can or cannot exist within the cinematic medium. Furthermore, the IPFF often offers meaningful encounters between audiences, artists, festival organizers, and researchers. The final and most recent project Ana-Maria started with two other co-founders is the It's Alive! Horror Film Festival - the first genre film festival in Bulgaria. 

Anica Happich, born in Magdeburg (Germany), is a curator, actress, cultural manager, and a cultural and political figure active in publicly funded theaters, the independent scene, and the film industry. As a cultural and political figure, she operates in the intersection of artistic practice and educational work, advocating for the significance and concerns of (independent) performing arts. She is involved in various roles, including being a member of the "ensemble-netzwerk e.V.,", a board member of the Thuringian Theater Association, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fonds Darstellende Künste, the "FAIRSTAGE" initiative, and the research project "Systemcheck."

As a theater actress, she was engaged at the Theater Basel until 2020, collaborating with directors such as Tilmann Köhler, Miloš Lolić, and Claudia Bossard. Since 2020, she has transitioned to working as a film actress, featuring as the protagonist in the Mainz Tatort episode "Blind Date" for the ARD channel.

Since 2021, Anica Happich has also been active as a university lecturer and artist consultant, focusing on imparting applied industry knowledge, distribution strategies, and (self)marketing. She teaches at institutions such as the "HfMDK Frankfurt am Main," the "Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch," and the "Performing Arts Programm Berlin."

In 2021, she initiated the PHOENIX Theater Festival in the former theatre Erfurt, which she has been leading since then. The festival supports emerging artists, conducts active audience research, and utilizes mobile stages and other artistic formats to engage the entire city. Anica Happich promotes the three C´s – Cooperation, Co-Creation, and Collaboration – to encourage interdisciplinary approaches and resource sharing. Thanks to this consistent approach, the festival quickly gained nationwide attention and was admitted into the prestigious Festival Friends network. Anica Happich works in Thuringia and Berlin.

Anna Setaghyan is an Armenian culture enthusiast that has been working as Cooperation and External Relations Manager of ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival for 5 years already. Her main professional interests are  cultural management, cultural policy and cultural diplomacy and the major part of her responsibilities comprise partnership building and fundraising. She is also the Community Head's Assistant in her city of residence. Previous roles include project manager in a conflict management project, assistance to the director of Golden Apricot IFF. 

Anna believes in the power of cultural diplomacy, in the power of every person that is proactive enough, impactful enough wherever he/she is realising himself/herself and her engagement in the field of culture, arts and festivals is conditioned by her great interest both in culture and in diplomacy.

Meanwhile, Anna is assured that without targeted development of any field of art, without making ways for self-sufficiency, no art or culture can be bold enough to serve as a diplomacy tool.

Anni Leino (she/her) is a cultural manager with a passion for performing arts, festivals, events, international collaboration and communication. She’s currently working at Zodiak – Center for New Dance as a producer of international activities and communication. 

In 2021-2023, Leino did her master’s in cultural management programme of Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre & Estonian Business School in Tallinn, Estonia. Her MA thesis titled  “Unveiling motivations and unlocking opportunities: Leveraging online showcases for performing arts promotion” explored the potential of online events in international export and professional networking in performing arts. The outstanding and current work was rewarded by Art and Culture Professionals’ Trade Union TAKU in Finland in Spring 2023.

Leino’s background is in contemporary dance. As a producer she’s been working in the performing arts for nearly a decade. Prior to her role at Zodiak, she worked several years in Circus & Dance Info Finland (previously Dance Info Finland) gaining extensive expertise in organizing professional events such as showcases promoting artists’ work for international presenters (e.g ICE HOT Nordic Dance Platform and Performing HEL showcase in Helsinki). Before that she had worked at Helsinki Festival, Loikka – Dance Film Festival and with several independent performing arts companies in Finland. 

Ben Grinberg is a Philadelphia-based performing artist, choreographer, clown and educator working at the intersection of contemporary circus and ensemble dance theatre. His work is often concerned with the inevitable complexities that arise when people try to do anything together. Always, collaboration, ensemble, exchange, and cycles of action, reaction, and response are primary. He is a company member, co-founder, and often artistic director of Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, an award-winning and internationally touring physical performance ensemble, and was a founding core faculty member and head of Performance and Artistic Craft at Circadium, the nation’s first certificate granting program in contemporary circus performance. He co-founded, produces and program manages Cannonball Festival, a hub for new performance in Philadelphia, and is on faculty at the UArts/Pig Iron MFA program in devised performance. He was a 2022 invited choreographer at the Breaking Walls Festival in Cairo, Egypt, a 2022 subcircle resident artist, and an invited lecturer at Arcadia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Moravian University. With Almanac, he won a 2020 Rocky Award, a 2017 Suraya Award, and a 2019 Barrymore Award for Outstanding Movement/Choreography for xoxo moongirl, which he also directed. Grinberg’s work has been presented by Jacob's Pillow, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Morris Museum Presents, Touchstone Theatre, FringeArts, New York Live Arts, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co, the Mexico City International Festival of Contemporary Dance, Assembly Festival, Circus Now, and more. Performance collaborations include Pig Iron Theatre Company (Swamp is On, 99 Breakups, Pay Up!), Theatre Horizon (Peter and the Starcatcher, Hero School), Lantern Theatre Company (The Tempest), and more. As a video collaborator he has worked closely with artists such as Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, Eiko Otake, and Zina Saro-Wiwa. Learn more at www.thealmanac.us.


Brian Postalian (Բրայն Փոսթալյան) is an arts administrator, educator, and creator born and raised in Toronto/Tkaronto by way of Armenia, Ireland, UK, and the Czech Republic. The founding Artistic Director of Re:Current Theatre, they are dedicated to creating work that reconsiders how we share space together in communal places. Their work has been presented across Canada and Internationally; where it has been translated into Mandarin. His work co-creating Access Me with the Boys in Chairs collective was published by Playwrights Canada Press as part of Interdependent Magic: Disability Performance in Canada. 

He has worked as a curator, producer, and artist with companies across Canada including: Theatre Passe Muraille, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Presentation House Theatre, Playwrights Theatre Centre, Common Boots Theatre, Factory Theatre, Crow’s Theatre, Impulse Theatre, potatoCakes_digital, Rumble Theatre, PuSh Festival, Matriarchs Uprising, Paprika Festival, SummerWorks, Magnetic North Festival, Kick & Push Festival, In the Soil Festival, Queer Arts Festival, and many more. 

Brian has been a sessional instructor within the School of Performance at Toronto Metropolitan University and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto and Simon Fraser University. He completed a Master of Fine Arts at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts in Theatre Game Design and Interdisciplinary Performance Studies. In his spare time, he likes to visit used book stores, revisit childhood video games, ride his bicycle, play with his dog Amie, and says that he’s been learning how to draw and play the Armenian duduk for at least eight years but isn’t much better at it now than he was when he started. Brian currently lives on the unceded Coast Salish territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations (also known as Vancouver, BC).

Bruno Estima has concluded a degree in percussion from the University of Aveiro in 2005.  Percussion teacher at Bairrada Conservatory of Music since 2005. Member of the Educational Service team of Casa da Música - Porto since 2008, where he is a musician, workshop leader and co-author of several workshops and shows, as well as musician / workshop leader in Tokyo Bunka Kaikan - Japan since 2013. Co-director of WETUMTUM and mentor of the CRASSH and Festival Papagaio, of which he is artistic director, with the project receiving several national and international awards. Conductor of Soft Skills workshops at Universidade Católica Porto Business School since 2012. Has been selected for the JUMP - European Music Market Accelerator 2020 programme with his business project WETUM4KIDS, and was also Aveiro Tech City Artist 2022. PhD (on going)  in Artistic Creation at the University of Aveiro. @brunoestimapt | brunoestima.com 

Camila Provoste Cid is a producer and cultural manager based in Patagonia, Chile. Master candidate in Cultural Management from the University of Chile and a bachelor's degree in Drama from the University of Chile. Currently is the Production Manager of Festival de Artes Cielos del Infinito and Festival Internacional de Teatro del Biobío. Camila has worked as a Producer in the field of different - national and international - productions. Her interest focuses on the development of local, decentralizing, and democratizing cultural policies, particularly in Patagonia, Chile.

Daja Vogt is a dramaturge at Treffen junge Szene of Berliner Festspiele, where she curates the programme for the four festivals dedicated to young talents in the fields of theatre, literature, dance and music.

Born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, Daja studied Theatre and Literature Studies at the University of Leipzig and Film and Theatre Studies at the University of Aberystwyth, Wales. She later earned a Master's degree in Transcultural Theatre Studies in Leipzig.

During her studies, she completed internships at the Thalia Theater Hamburg, Schauspiel Leipzig, Kampnagel Hamburg and worked as an artist support at the Theater der Welt Festival 2017. She was also part of the production team of the Kampnagel Internationales Sommer Festival in 2017 and 2018.

From 2019 to 2021, Daja Vogt worked as an assistant director at Schauspiel Leipzig, collaborating with directors such as Philipp Preuß and Moritz Sostmann.

In the following two years (2021-2022) she held the position of dramaturgy assistant at Theatertreffen and Theatertreffen Stückemarkt.

Daniela is a professional in the field of music production, with a strong academic background and a passion for integrating digital technologies in the management, distribution, and audience development of symphonic orchestras. With a Master's degree in Music Production and Management, Daniela is currently in the final stages of completing her Ph.D. program. Her primary focus lies in the utilization of digital technologies within the realm of management, distribution, and audience development for symphonic orchestras.

Throughout her career, Daniela has been deeply involved in various aspects of event production, public relations, and marketing, encompassing a wide spectrum of projects ranging from conferences, festivals to international music competitions. She has also shared her insights and knowledge as a speaker at numerous domestic and international conferences. 

In her current role, Daniela is exploring the potential of cutting-edge technologies, especially low-latency streaming, to revolutionize music education and foster cross-cultural collaboration. Her focus lies in creating immersive educational experiences and seamless global exchanges within the music community.

Darya Levchenko is a festival programmer, film researcher, cultural manager and translator. She is the program coordinator of Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in Kyiv, Ukraine. She is also curating a 2023 New Talents program for the PÖFF Shorts section of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Darya works on several book translation projects in parallel and coordinates cultural diplomacy, humanitarian aid and international cooperation projects in Ukraine. Her main concern now is preserving Ukraine's creative economy during the full-scale Russian invasion and facilitating her country's participation in international film distribution.

Darya's previous film curatorial experience includes programming for the AFI Theater and Cultural Center and screening duties for FilmFestDC. Ms. Levchenko holds an MA in Film Studies (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA) and a double MA in Foreign Languages from Zaporizhzhia National University, Ukraine and Tallinn University, Estonia. Her research on film festivals, science fiction film and literature, educational innovations, and the history of national cinemas has been published and presented in the United States and Ukraine. She is an alumna of the Fulbright, Edmund S. Muskie, and Erasmus academic exchange programs and a 2018 Full Frame and 2023 Cannes Makers Fellow.

Diego Armando Aparicio is the founder and artistic director of Queer Wave: the Cyprus LGBTQIA+ Film Festival. From 2,000 applicants, he was one of 40 cultural innovators selected to participate at the Global Cultural Relations Programme in 2022. For his work on Queer Wave, Diego was one of 20 finalists worldwide shortlisted for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Awards, amongst 1,000 nominees from 43 countries. He served as an official jury member for Giornate degli Autori at the Venice International Film Festival in 2018, and has assisted the Giornate programming team as pre-selector every year since 2019. He was also part of the selection panel for the 2022 LUX Audience Award, presented jointly by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy. Diego’s credits in the production department include work on four international co-productions, one of which premiered at the Cannes Critics’ Week and two at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. He has also worked in the direction department for Of Money And Blood, a French limited series distributed by Canal+ which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. Diego graduated with a physics degree from Imperial College London in 2016. He is a member of the European Film Academy.

Eddy Davis is Managing Producer for Live Arts Miami, a platform for transformative performances and educational programs that has impacted Miami audiences for over three decades. In his role, Eddy spearheads artist relations, operations, and technical direction for an annual season of immersive arts events and public concerts. Eddy is also the founder of Avid Arts Management, a boutique production house that provides strategic event planning and touring support for clients such as Billboard Music, the GRAMMY Association, and rock legends The Who to name a few. Eddy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a master’s from Catholic University. He has served on various arts & culture grant panels and is an electric bassist. 

With over 12 years of experience in the classical music and arts industry, Emily provides consultancy and project management services for leading arts practitioners through her consultancy – Gratia Arts.

Emily has experience of working in the performing arts and wider cultural industry in both Hong Kong, UK and Europe. For the 2022/23 season she previously led the boutique arts management company Avanti Arts as Interim Director. In 2021 she was Head of Culture and Events at Alliance Française de Hong Kong. Previously during her time in London, she worked for Rayfield Allied and later the Philharmonia Orchestra as recordings and projects manager.

During the pandemic Emily was Programme Manager and Digital Programme Manager for the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, and project manager at St Martin-in-the-Fields. She was approached to work for NMC Recordings' Big Lockdown Music Survey and is now an active Trustee for the company, working remotely from Edinburgh.

Fezhah is a creative producer and performance dramaturg. Her professional vision centres on the creation of artistic communities, the development of new artistic languages, and the growing of audiences around the artists she works with. Her experience is diverse and international and is known for her efforts in successfully producing complex transnational and intercultural works. She has worked for the leading performing arts centres and festivals in Singapore, managing and producing shows of varied formats. In addition, her independent practice remains agile and flexible in serving the community she works with. Most recently, she conceptualized and produced platforms to develop emerging young choreographers and directors of minority groups in Singapore. 

Aside from her deep, cultivated relationship with local artists and groups, her networks span across the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. She has worked with Acosta Danza (Cuba), Garin Nugroho, Rianto and Eko Supriyanto (Indonesia), Robert Lepage and ExMachina (Canada), Building Conversation (Netherlands), Aditi Mangaldas (India), Yasuhiro Morinaga (Japan), 600 HIGHWAYMEN (USA) and Lucy McRae (USA/Australia) to name a few. At 23 years old, Fezhah took the helm managing Teater Ekamatra (Singapore). Between 2014 to 2019, she programmed and produced for Esplanade Co Ltd. Recently she stepped down as an organising member of Producers SG after 5 years of service. She co-founded the producing company, The Public Space and through CurrentSEA, is committed to promote South-East Asian artists and works to other parts of the world. Most recently, she left her role as Producer with Singapore International Festival of Arts and Singapore Writers Festival to gain a new perspective on life and the arts. 

Ghiwa El Haiby, a filmmaking graduate from USEK, Kaslik - Lebanon (2015), holding a masters’ degree in screenwriting and production for film from UCSC, Milano – Italy (2017). In 2019, I further pursued a master's degree in Cultural Mediation at the Lebanese University, which prompted a career shift towards the broader cultural field. My diverse experience ranges from production work on film sets, exhibitions, and performances, to developing outreach strategies for films and cultural programs. 

Currently based in Beirut, Lebanon, I am the production and operations manager at Zoukak Theatre which means I am essentially the provider of ice cream, yummy snacks, and fruits for the team.

Let’s just call it what it is, I am the “personality hire”! 

My biggest takeaway from the last 8 years of experience in the cultural field in Lebanon: the audience. That moment, when a show ends and you are still in your seat, spending a last moment with the audience you just shared the last hour or so with, there is an unspoken energy and connection, quite the opposite of an elephant in the room, more like tiny fireflies in the room, I think I do what I do for that very moment.

Hazem Header is an Egyptian contemporary dancer and choreographer. With a BA of Physical education, studies of Personal training, Biomechanics and Kinesiology and a long career as a personal trainer and volleyball coach, Hazem decided to focus on contemporary dance in 2009. Hazem studied at the governmental center “Cairo Contemporary Dance Center (CCDC)” at Cairo Opera House. There he gained experience in choreography.

In 2013 Hazem founded his own dance company ‘ NÜT Dance Company’ (NDC);

NÜT Dance Company is a Cairo established & legally recognized entity that produces and creates contemporary dance, physical performances & culture events. The company quickly captured the attention of fellow artists, presenters, and audiences, ensemble of dancers, actors and a fearless physicality grounded by deep humanity and expressed through the madness and joy of the imagination and adopted subjects that consider taboos in the Egyptian society that barely touched by fellow artists such as religion, gender matters and homosexuality, feminism and current political climate.

With NDC, Hazem has produced over 100 cultural events and performances since 2013 to date.

Performances like “Life as a party”, “La cena Di Casanova”, “Inside-out”, “Contempt”, “The other I”, “BOLT!”, “Feu de Neige”, “NÜT '', “FIX ME '' that have been presented in Egypt, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy, Rwanda Tunisia and The US.

In 2018 till 2020; Hazem was invited to teach Theater and Contemporary Dance for fresh years at Cairo University’s creative center. 

Under the umbrella of his company, Hazem founded “Breaking Walls Festival” in 2017 to be the first international festival for site specific performances in Cairo. And in 2021 Hazem founded a Dance Film Festival “Breaking Walls Dance Film Festival” to be the first festival of Dance Films in Egypt and in the region. 

Heikki Myllylahti is a cultural manager and cultural anthropologist (MA) based in Oulu, located in northern Finland. His specialization lies in cultivating urban culture and engaging with young adults through participatory initiatives. Since 2016, Heikki has been actively involved in the cultural field, planning and executing several projects like Urban Boost (ESF project), Chaos Stage (a free open stage in a public park), and he also worked for the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture project.

Heikki is the founder and executive director of Oulu Urban Culture (OUC), a non-profit cultural association established in 2018, dedicated to promoting urban culture, urban development, and opportunities for young adults in the cultural field. The association executes surprising events in various spaces, creates environments for low-threshold cultural activities, and actively supports the self-directed cultural initiatives and employment prospects of young adults in creative fields.

Currently, Heikki is working as a project manager for the Untamed Office project, which plays a significant role in realizing the Oulu2026 culture program. Untamed Office improves the opportunities for young adults in creative fields, enhancing Oulu's attractiveness and vitality through northern urban culture and sending a message of European solidarity: you can act and make a difference wherever you are!

Untamed Office enlivens the city by organizing clubs, street parties, urban art, and annual events such as the Frozen People Festival, which is a festival of electronic music and northern art. This unique festival defies the weather conditions during the winter on the frozen waters of the Bothnian Bay. The frozen sea provides the brutal Arctic conditions for the world's most chilling dances and art experiences. The annual music program of the festival comprises both local and international talents. The artistic content consists of performances, installations, light art, and various interactive program items.

Hui Zhu (she/her) is currently working as Programming & Branding Manager for Shanghai Modern Drama Valley Theatre Festival in China. She holds a master degree in Innovation and Organization of Culture and Arts from University of Bologna in Italy. During her studies, she got an internship as Assistant to Artist Manager at IMG Artist in Hanover, Germany. Both the studies and internship experience has helped to pave her way to the performing arts field. After graduation, she joined one production company based in Shanghai and first worked as tour manager for the Chinese tour of the musical Kinky Boots, then she moved her position as executive producer for the Chinese version of £¥€$ (LIES)-a creative work by Ontroerend Goed. She has also involved in the production of the musical Mamma Mia! (Chinese version), programming for the opening season of Nine Threes Future Arts Center.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, aRing (a.k.a. Irene Eunyoung Lee) is a sound artist/composer with dynamic records of creative practices and academic teachings in cross-cultural backgrounds. Over the course of her wide-ranging career, she worked as a composer, performer, writer, sound designer, video producer, cognitive researcher, educator, photographer, and farmer.

aRing has been pursuing a unique Experiential Sound Art which accentuates a sense of the homogeneity of art and life, and the spiritual-purificatory role of art. Through the “Sound Diary” series, the artist maneuvers her existential life stories of sweet and/or poignant moments into insightful ritualistic art that presents it in a general and intellectual state. 

From 2003 to now, the Sound Diary series presented five original works. All the works exhibited unconventional integrations of an eclectic variety of media, including music/sound, dance, movement, lighting, visuals, and texts in performances and exhibitions. aRing incorporates components of various media to portray her psychophysical states and reactions to phenomenological events that occur simultaneously in life, art, and surrounding environments. Behind each completed work, due to an extensive struggling process of achieving her challenging artistic goal, there often arise traces of endeavoring introspections and explorations through text documents, performing arts, and free form sound activities. 

aRing initiated her sixth genre-disruptive work called <Tillandsia to Nabillera> in Hong Kong in 2017. Since then, it has spawned several performing arts progressive stages that reveal that the artist faces numerous difficult aspects in realizing her idealistic vision to build a holistic sound arts hub in Asan, Korea. Since this challenging project requires intense energy and efforts, the artist wants to uncover the complex reality and share it in Atelier 2023. Hopefully, this will be an opportunity to bring genuine artist cooperation around the world for this series so that we can further extend its practice to international holistic art.

Jessica Lam stumbled into programming when she joined Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay (Singapore) in 2018 after completing internships with the Movement Research Performance Journal and the Trisha Brown Dance Company in New York, USA. Working predominantly in and around contemporary dance, she programmes and produces for in-house festivals and platforms including da:ns focus/festival/series, and also manages programme collaborations with local dance companies. She occasionally dips her toes into other genres like circus and music, with programming for Esplanade’s Flipside festival and the daily free programmes series. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia (USA) and considers her current role another avenue for learning through/about dance. She is in the process of looking for a hobby.

Jorge Losana was born in Murcia in 1986 and is a singer, director, popularizer and cultural entrepreneur. In 2016 he founded the vocal group Cantoría, specialized in Iberian Renaissance music, with whom he has given concerts in many European countries and recently presented his first album "Ensaladas", recorded at the Ambronay Cultural Center (France), which has obtained the prestigious “Diapason Découverte” award or the “Preis del Schallplattenkritik”. Jorge Losana is also director of the ECOS International Festival of Sierra Espuña, which brings together every summer the best of young international early music talent in the Region of Murcia, as well as the Baroque Orchestra and the Historical Music Workshop of the University of Murcia.

After a few years as a visitor at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim, he studied the Higher Degree in Choir Conducting at the Murcia Conservatory of Music, Musical Education at the University of Murcia and the Higher Degree in Classical and Contemporary Singing at the School Superior of Music of Catalonia, in Barcelona, where he has also specialized in Historical Singing, studying the Master of Early Music Interpretation. He concluded his studies by completing the Master of Advanced Vocal Ensemble Studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, in Basel (Switzerland).

He regularly collaborates with the media and actively participates in national and international discussion forums around music, youth and sustainable development goals. He has directed choirs such as the Schola Cantorum Alfonso X or Escolanía de la Catedral de Murcia and has recorded for labels like Deutsche Grammophon, Carus Verlag, Ambronay Productions or Rondeau Production.

Juliane Spence is a producer and organiser at the Berliner Festspiele. Since 2015, Juliane has organised various festivals throughout Germany. She has produced a diverse range of music events encompassing opera, classical, jazz, pop/rock, electronic and contemporary music. As an integral part of the Berliner Festspiele, she has been orchestrating the Musikfest Berlin since 2017. A core pillar of her work as a festival producer is to foster inclusion, social change and sustainability in the domain of modern music festivals.

Juliane has studied English Literature, Sociology and Economics in Dortmund and San Juan. In her Master’s degree in Cultural Studies at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, she focuses on the intersection of feminist and decolonial theory. Beyond, she enjoys visiting concerts and exploring the lakes surrounding Berlin. 

Katharina Wisotzki (they, them) is a dramaturg, festival maker and social justice & diversity trainer. They studied Music and German Philology in Oldenburg and Tours (France) and have been working in the fields of organisation and dramaturgy for various theatre festivals and institutions since 2011, among them PAZZ Performing Arts Festival (Oldenburg), Festival Theaterformen (Braunschweig and Hanover) and Freifeld Festival (Oldenburg). In 2018, Katharina Wisotzki and Katrin Windheuser founded the transdisciplinary feminist 13° Festival in Bremen. Its 2021 edition received the Advancement Award for Women’s Culture of the Hanseatic City of Bremen. From March 2020 to December 2022, Katharina Wisotzki was in charge of the programme of Theater im Pavillon (Hanover) where she founded the MULTITUDE Festival for feminist and intersectional solidarity. Furthermore, Katharina Wisotzki works as a moderator, consultant and jury member (most recently at the 2022 BEST OFF Festival of Stiftung Niedersachsen) and has been coordinating the network #strongertogether since 2022, which provides networking opportunities to theatre festivals that operate intersectionally. In 2023, the network will host the training series “How to: intersektional veranstalten”. An associated anthology, edited and co-authored by Katharina Wisotzki, will be published by transcript Verlag in the spring of 2024. From the 2023/24 season, Katharina Wisotzki will be artistic director of Universen – a solidary stage for the urban society – at Staatstheater Hannover.

Maarja Kalmre is a theatre producer and co-artistic director of Kanuti Gildi SAAL based in Tallinn, Estonia. Coming from more of a traditional theatre and theatre studies background fell in love with contemporary performing arts in 2011, realizing the potential of it and never looked back. As for festivals, is familiar with every position within - being a volunteer, logistical coordinator, host, curator and head organizer etc. This years’ (2023) edition of SAAL Biennaal (one of the oldest contemporary performing arts festival in Tallinn) co-curated it together with 8 people. Also is one of three curators of Kanuti Gildi SAAL’s next two following seasons and in addition started a new performing arts festival Switchover in 2021 in the second biggest city of Estonia.

She and the institution/venue (Kanuti Gildi SAAL) she works with is interested in experiments and taking risks. Working with the unknown – developing new formats and ways of working with each other. Not necessarily believing in theatre magic but the anatomy of humanity this format could reveal to us. She is intrigued by recycling performances and bringing artists together from different walks of life.

Kanuti Gildi SAAL is sharing the mental space with artists and other like-minded centres across the world, are part of the international circulation - considering not only the local scale but a wider scope of our activity while putting together creative teams or a program. Touring abroad is a crucial part of our co-production work and we are the most widely touring performing arts institution in Estonia.

Mam Foon is the festival director for Cinemafrica film festival that presents films from the African continent. The organization just celebrated its 25th anniversary. She is a graduate of University of the Arts, London College of Communication in BA Graphic design/Illustration in London where she lived for 5 years. After working for 18 years within the Live concert/festival and cultural sector internationally and running her own business in graphic design, she went back to school and graduated in Business Development at Hyper Island in Stockholm, Sweden. While working in the music industry she had the opportunity to to work in many countries in the African continent and in Cuba that gave her a broad experience in event production on different platforms. In march 2023 she was acknowledged by the Gambian government for her contribution to the cultural sector in Gambia where she has her roots.

Marinthe Vergonet (1995) is a Dutch theatrologist, dramaturg, theatre marketer and junior programmer. She discovered her love for theatre at the age of fourteen, when she saw the musical theatre production 'Hairspray' at Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie in her hometown Leeuwarden. Blown away by this experience, she knew she wanted to be part of this field and to make as many people enthusiastic about theatre as possible. She got her master of arts by studying Music, Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Groningen, of which she graduated cum laude in 2020. During her studies Marinthe specialised in the fields of theatre studies, dramaturgy and cultural entrepreneurship. In addition, she worked as a student-assistant for her theatre professors in Groningen, and followed an internship as an assistant-director for the musical theatre production 'Pijnstillers' in Amsterdam. After graduating, she started to work at the youth theatre school in Leeuwarden.

In 2021, Marinthe landed a job at the theatre where it all began and where she has seen hundreds of performances ever since: Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie. At De Harmonie, she fulfils two positions: marketer and junior programmer. A job that combines her passions for dramaturgy, writing and curating. Through her position at De Harmonie, Marinthe is also directly involved with the two recurring festivals De Harmonie organises since 2022: 'PAFFF' and 'Festival Het Avontuur'. 'PAFFF' is an international performing arts festival, jointly organised by De Harmonie and Arcadia, that contains highly immersive performances from high-profile (inter)national artists. 'Festival Het Avontuur' is a four-day youth theatre festival with performances, installations, and activities for children between the ages of 0 and 12 years. 

Matea is a producer at the Domino Association - a nonprofit organization that's been organizing Queer Zagreb season for over 20 years. Apart from Queer, Domino is responsible for organizing 3 more international festivals (Sounded Bodies, Perforations and Queer MoMents) as well as a number of annual manifestations (Night of Performance etc.). Naturally, as Domino is a rather small organization when regarded in an international context (in terms of staff and resources), production and participation in each of the steps of organizing these festivals falls into hands of the entire organization, including herself. 

She arrived there last year, looking for an opportunity to actively participate in arts and culture - an opportunity to make a change and develop her own ideas within a well-established framework of Domino's festivals and activities. She is passionate about community art, sound and radio art, and puppetry; she is president of a small but enthusiastic organization "Puppet Experimental Theater" in Zagreb, and a radio-host and music editor at Radio Student. After completing her studies in Comparative literature at the University in Zagreb, she continued to work in arts and culture, dreaming big and working step by step to get her home town and its art scene where she thinks they could, and should be.

As a young cultural enthusiast, Maurine Kouba became the Acting Director of Yabous Cultural Centre in 2023, one of the leading Cultural Centres in Jerusalem, Palestine. Maurine Kouba is Master’s graduate in Business Communication from the University of Siena in Italy and a holder of Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Banking and Business from Birzeit University. She has many years of experience in the women’s and youth based projects both during her professional career and part of her personal initiatives and interest.

Among her work at Yabous Cultural Centre and leading its artistic programs, Maurine is the Jerusalem Festival Manager in its most recent Edition “Jerusalem Festival 2023 - Rise up Jerusalem” that highlights the important of the various forms of freedoms especially the freedom of expression and movement. 

Maurine’s experience in the cultural and artistic field throughout more than 10 years as a volunteer at various festivals and events at Yabous and other organizations, led her to develop a deep passion for the role of art and culture in storytelling, in reviving the community in which she resides and in identity and heritage preservation.

In addition to her work and passion in the cultural field, Maurine is a youth leader and activist in several organizations, most prominently as an executive committee member at the World Council of YMCAs representing the Middle East and the East Jerusalem YMCA. 

Max Merazzi-Jacobson (born 1994) is a Swiss pianist of Italian-Swedish origin. Max studied the piano at the Musik-Akademie Basel as a student of Dutch pianist Ronald Brautigam. He concluded with a Master’s degree in 2020 and specialized in Lied interpretation with Jan Schultsz.

Max regularly performs as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe. He was the performer of the world premiere of “Trois Pensées pour Piano” by the Luxembourgish composer Luc Goedert. He has been involed as pianist in theater productions as well. In addition to performing himself, Max is also artistic director of the chamber music festival Summermusic Lundsberg (Sommarmusik Lundsberg) in Sweden. Max has been teaching the piano in Basel for several years. He is now continuing his formation at the Zurich University of the Arts studying Music Physiology.

Maya Somerling (1965) has been responsible for organizing practical aspects of concerts and also cross-disciplinary events, for more than 24 years in Brussels Bozar cultural centre. After a childhood and teenage years living in various countries, mainly in Italy, Pennsylvania and France, she studied Economics in Belgium and started a career is business companies. From a family counting many musicians, and having since very young always practiced music and dance, a few years later she reoriented her professional interests to the cultural scene. Still today pianist and dancer, she appreciates Bozar international contacts and cultural variety.

Milla Virta is the festival director at the Korsholm Music Festival. The chamber music festival is located in the city of Vaasa, Finland and is more than 40 years old. By education, she has a master's degree in economics and BBA in foreign trade and marketing. She is also a musician. Milla was born in Sweden, studied and worked also in Germany.

Milla is a multitasker in music field. She has 20 years of experience in producing and event production, especially in music. She has worked as the General Manager of the Seinäjoki City Orchestra, the General Manager of Wasa Sinfonietta (symphony orchestra), the project coordinator of the Vaasa City Cultural Center (inc. EU-projects), edited different publications and worked as a teacher and critic. As a mezzo-soprano, Milla Virta has given concerts in various ensembles in Finland, Sweden, Germany and Brazil.

Milla has founded the “Toivo Kuula -days” -festival with the theme famous Finnish composer Toivo Kuula. The festival was launched in the fall of 2023 and it charmed with its originality among traditional classical festivals. In her spare time, Milla plays the violin in a chamber orchestra, is a passionate singer and loves to travel. At her best, Milla is the organizer of big productions and she enjoys being able to create something bigger with the power of co-operation. Milla has a very curious attitude towards life and new projects and is known as a very warm person.

Ndèye Mané Touré holds a Master in Business Administration at the African Institute of Management (I.A.M Dakar), she works in the administration and production of various cultural projects, including dance, music, visual arts, and cinema. With fifteen years of experience, Mané is at the head of Makeda Production, a company under Senegalese law, specializing in the design and production of artistic products and in the organization of events. Mané initiated in 2023 the Bideew Festival which is a constellation of disciplines around astronomy, art, gastronomy, science and technology in rural areas.

I am an emerging Creative Producer and Writer of Nigerian heritage based in Leeds and an Alumni of UNION, a sector-based training programme for community artists and social activists across the north of England. 

I have written two non-fiction books that focus on themes that educate, re-orient and empower people to avoid emotional, financial, and physical breakdowns. My first book is Retreat to Rebirth - My Story (2019) a teaching memoir about how I survived cancer, a divorce and also relocating to another country with my children having nothing but faith in my pocket. My second non-fiction book is Poverty is a Woman, Her Daughters Look Like her. 

DYCP (September-2022-August 2023) 

Receiving a DYCP award from the Arts Council England further developed my creative practice. The step-change was developing writing skills for fiction and other  artforms by attending novel writing courses, meeting other writers and receiving one-to-one mentoring/support from Jacob Ross, Dramaturge & Writer-Mary Cooper and my current Editor, Adam Lowe. One-to-One Mentoring/Support with my mentors enabled me to write the first draft of my fiction-I Dance, I Clap. Set in post-Biafran war years. It explores forced migration within Nigeria and to Great Britain, seeking sanctuary and living with trauma. 

Commissions (2021-2022) 

I was the Lead Artist on two co-creation projects- Creative Stories in Suitcases & Camera and Our City, Our Lives, Our Stories for the LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture.The former with the Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre (KCAP) Durban-South Africa and the latter with over 25 African communities in Leeds. Following the above co-creation project, there was a good momentum and enthusiasm among the African communities to work together and leave a legacy of African culture in Leeds. 

I was commissioned to produce the first multi-art Leeds International African Arts Festival (LIAAF2023). I collaborated with 21 emerging artists of different genres,10 corporate organisations and a 20-member Steering Group to deliver the project successfully. From LIAAF2023 new networks for future development/presentation of work in 2024 also emerged- An example is producing an African choral piece with Opera North and YARAM Arts. The LIAAF is going to be an annual event. 

Niranjani Iyer is the founder and artistic director of d.r.i.f.t - Dharamshala Residential & International Festival for Theatre, an entirely volunteer run community theatre festival in Dharamshala, India. A multidisciplinary artist, Niranjani studied at the Sorbonne and Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris. She describes her artistic practice as "mongrel" as she acts, directs, dances, choreographs, teaches and does everything that's needed to make work. Guest teacher at the National School of Drama, New Delhi, she lives and works from Dharamshala and Paris. She's currently preparing the 6th edition of d.r.i.f.t in Dharamshala for 2024 and the creation of a new piece on languages and biodiversity in Paris.

Nora Mahammed (she/her, 1994°) is director of Het TheaterFestival Vlaanderen, a nomadic performing arts festival that alternately descends in Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels with a jury selection of the most interesting, socially relevant and innovative work made in or with Flanders, Brussels and the Netherlands in the past season. She also teaches Cultural Policy at the Erasmushogeschool Brussel, where she herself obtained a bachelor's degree in social cultural work, before obtaining a master's degree in cultural agogics at the VUB. 

She worked as program coordinator of philosophy, religion and ethics & coordinator of the Kennisknooppunt at the Flemish-Dutch House deBuren. At the open arts house for refugee artists Globe Aroma, she worked as an audience mediator and founder of the participatory programming group Art For All. She worked on the elaboration of social-artistic projects such as The Beauty Verhalen Salon Brussels – Amsterdam (Kaaitheater & Female Economy) & at Doyoureadme.world on the Muslim/Hipster project. She is also president of the culture council of the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie, is a member of the 'literature and society' committee at Literatuur Vlaanderen and sits on the board of Kunstenfestivaldesarts and kunstencentrum Nona.

Obett Motaung is a multidisciplinary artist and scholar who has won various awards such as the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2022. He has participated in various international residency across the world including Europe and West Africa. He holds an MA in Film and TV from the University of the Witwatersrand where he in the Golden Key Executive Committee whilst also being a Wits SRC member. He also serves as an advisory Panel member at the NAC, a board member of Assitej SA and a council member of Amazi South African Museum of Literature.

Olga Briard is from Brussels, where she has been working in the cultural sector since graduating with a MA in politics and international relations. She is currently part of the producing and coordinating team for the multidisciplinary program of Bozar (Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels). 

Developing an interest in the curation and production of afro(diasporic) cultural events, she volunteers with Black History Month Belgium and co-founded a non-profit organization called Som·m·e of Us, a multidisciplinary collective of young Black grassroots cultural curators and community space organizers that works to bring different types of cultural events focused on Black people and their experiences.

Polina Bulat is a contemporary dance producer, manager and promoter of Ukrainian origin with a background in PR management and journalism. A founder of Balletristic.com, a website dedicated to ballet and dance, and the cultural service Radioballet. Both of these projects have been suspended because of the war in Ukraine. These initiatives have helped to popularize ballet and dance in the country and create a platform for young authors writing about dance.

Since March 2022 Polina has been aiding, promoting, and coordinating refugee dancers in Europe on a volunteer basis and in collaboration with other organisations and initiatives. Currently she lives in Berlin and focuses on establishing cooperation with other countries and working with choreographers and companies internationally as a producer, distributor and project manager.

Originally from France, Raphaele de Boisblanc studied piano, voice, and dance, before graduating in Philosophy and Project Management from La Sorbonne. In France, she worked for the marketing teams of Orchestre National de France, the French Ministry of Culture, and the Paris Opera before venturing to New York. Upon her arrival in the USA, Raphaele joined BAM's development division, focusing on Membership, Special Events, and Sponsorship. With time, she took on leadership responsibilities within the Marketing division, a role she held until June 2023. During her tenure, she worked with a roster of American and international artists in dance, music, circus, opera, theater, and film. She worked on the planning and promotion of the Next Wave Festival and DanceAfrica from 2018-2023. Now, Raphaele works as a consultant, partnering with organizations to create sustainable programs centered on social impact. She provides guidance in strategic planning, financial modeling, and partnerships. Her dedication to education has led her to teach in France and the USA, at Brooklyn College’s Master in Arts Management program and ICART’s MBA in Cultural Management. Currently enrolled in the executive program in Social Impact Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania, Raphaele strives to make meaningful contributions to positive societal change through her work and continuous education.

Raydun Bolk is a programmer based in Groningen, in the north of the Netherlands. Having worked as an artist in the UK for a while, she decided to move back to the Netherlands to resume her studies and look at ways to be more involved in the bigger lines artistically and rebuild a network. During her studies, the pandemic started and changed a planned course in her career. The plan to build a network and catch up on the current performing arts scene was suddenly moved online. This became the driving factor for Raydun to specialize in digitalization within performing arts, with the intention to make the theatre scene better and less afraid of the digital space. 

In the last few years, Raydun has gained work experience in various cultural institutions and festivals, such as Arcadia in Leeuwarden and SPRING Performing Arts Festival in Utrecht. At the moment, she co-curates the main program of Noorderzon, a cutting-edge international performing arts festival and a large-scale summer fest for more than 135,000 visitors. As well as her programming work, she works independently to set up and manage the artistic lines of Grand4: the digital performing arts programme at the Grand Theatre in Groningen, with year-round programming and residencies that support new makers with keen digital minds.

Ruhul Robin Khan is a filmmaker, festival organizer, and communications expert. He is widely known as a human rights activist who is converting his media and communication tools to ensure basic human rights for SOGIESC communities in Bangladesh. Ruhul organized a regional art and film festival in Dhaka named 'REINCARNATE'. It is the only SOGIESC art and film festival in Bangladesh where South Asian countries participate in creating a cultural movement to ensure the basic rights of the SOGIESC communities. REINCARNATE is a bi-yearly festival with which the 3rd edition is held from 18 to 20 January 2023 (https://shorturl.at/anqsu). From 2016 to 2021, Ruhul worked as the media and communications In Charge of the Dhaka International Film Festival.

As a humanitarian filmmaker, Ruhul has made many short films and documentaries to promote rights awareness, access to justice, and economic inclusiveness in SOGIESC communities. He is the only filmmaker in South Asia who has a film on intersex issues. ‘Against the Wind (2021)'—the story of an intersex survivor, is the most internationally acclaimed documentary of the year 2021.

Ruhul made his debut early, at the age of 24, as a screenwriter and director at Television Media. He has directed several internationally acclaimed films and documentaries and a dozen television dramas as a writer-director. His film ‘Nameless’ was awarded ‘Best Democratic Film’ at the 16th Jaipur International Short Film Festival in 2017.

Ruhul was awarded a fellowship grant in 2020 from the James P. Grant School of Public Health at BRAC University. He participated in ‘Cinema without Borders 2023’ organized by Movies That Matter and Amnesty International. Ruhul Robin Khan is leading the Public Relations and Communications department of the only national development organization in Bangladesh, working toward an inclusive and resilient society for SOGIESC people.

Artist and Producer, Theatre Director, Cultural Manager, Agent and Consultant who works mainly in performing arts, urban interventions, performance, festivals and cinema. ? Founder of Proyecto Tsunami, educational and production platform for teenagers and young artists in small cities that connects the coastal region of Buenos Aires Province with Buenos Aires City. Tsunami also works as a liaison between the Cono Sur (Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil) and companies abroad. In theater /performing arts, Sebastián has worked as a performer, space designer and producer to argentinian and international directors. He has carried out international collaborative projects such as Long Distance Affair (by Pop Up Theatrics, New York) for the Biennial Young Art Festival in Buenos Aires. He was the production manager for the immersive version of Sweeney Todd directed by Mitchel Cushman (Talk is Free Theatre, Canada), the argentinian version of When it Rains directed by Antony Black (2b Theatre, Canada), and also the site specific projects: Tales of an urban indian and For both Resting and Breeding directed by the icelandic and canadian director Maja Ardal. ?He was the Local Producer for Lilian Franck’s documentary “World Health” (OVALFilm, Berlin). Sebastián collaborated and produced projects in multidisciplinary events such as the Urban Interventions Festival “Changing Places: Revealed Spaces”, the Biennial Performance Festival in Argentina, and the Direction of Festivals for the Buenos Aires City Government. Also he collaborated with venues and institutions like the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Centro Cultural Kirchner, and Parque de la Memoria. He held the role of Sub Manager of General Production of the Recoleta Cultural Center, Artistic Coordinator at the Ministry of Cultural Management for the Province of Buenos Aires and the Production Coordinator for the Buenos Aires German Film Festival during 7 years. He is currently International Producing Consultant for Talk is Free Theatre Company (Barrie, Canada) and he is doing research about arts, communities and territory.

Ting-Yu from Taiwan is a professional cross-genre Pipa performer and creator, also working as a performing arts project manager. With over 25 years of performance and composition experience, and nearly 15 years of expertise in performing arts administration, she earned a master's degree in Pipa performance from the Traditional Music Department at Taipei National University of the Arts. Currently, she is a founding member of PIPA-Ensemble and the cross-cultural ensemble Mastaneh Music Band, blending Chinese and Iranian musical elements. Additionally, she serves as the Public Relations and Promotion Manager at the National Symphony Orchestra.

As a musician, Ting-Yu is a highly anticipated figure in Taiwan, boasting a wealth of stage experience. In recent years, she has dedicated herself to interpreting traditional Pipa music and engaging in the composition and performance of world music. Collaborating with international artists in diverse fields such as contemporary dance, Middle Eastern music, jazz, and percussion, she has left a notable mark. From 2015 to 2020, she toured as a soloist, performing the Pipa and percussion concerto with the Ju Percussion Group in various countries, including China, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and others. She has also participated in significant events such as the 2019 Taipei East District International Jazz Festival, the 2020 Hsinchu Life Festival, the 2021 World Music Festival, and the pioneering music immersion exhibition space project at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Furthermore, she was selected for the 2020 National Taichung Theater "Curtains up for New Artists" project.

Beyond her musical pursuits, Ting-Yu brings extensive experience as a professional performing arts project manager. Her roles have included public relations, event hosting, project execution, writing, and planning and executing music and arts education camps in rural areas. Currently serving as the Public Relations and Promotion Manager at the National Symphony Orchestra, her responsibilities include seeking corporate sponsors, implementing PR activities, and spearheading rural music and arts education initiatives. In the past, she has held positions such as the Secretary of the Artistic Director of Ju Percussion Group Foundation (including involvement in the 9th and 10th Taiwan International Percussion Convention's PR and reception affairs), the Secretary to the Chairman of the National Performing Arts Center, and as a full-time music teacher for Taitung Junyi School of Innovation, as well as a senior officer at the Coretronic Culture and Arts Foundation.

Tom is a Cultural Worker & Producer of contemporary performance. He is currently the Cultural & International Programme Manager for LEEDS 2023: Year of Culture. Here he leads on a portfolio of vibrant collaborative projects in partnership with artists and networks from across West Yorkshire, connecting these with partners from 47 different international territories across 6 continents. Previously, he has held positions within the British Council’s Festival & Season’s department where he was the Programme Manager for the UK/Australia Season of Culture 21-22, a joint initiative by the British Council and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Prior to this, Tom worked as part of the British Council’s Theatre & Dance team, coordinating international touring projects between UK-based artists and global cultural partners. 

Passionate about creative partnerships, international cultural exchange and inclusive arts, Tom is an aspiring student of British Sign Language, alumnus of the University of Siena’s CREDO Autumn School, Cifas and Kunstenfestivaldesarts Producers Academy, IETM Campus, European Theatre Academy, and the Global Cultural Relations Programme 2022, an initiative funded by the European Union that connects cultural practitioners worldwide for dialogue, exchange, and co-operation. Between October 2023 and January 2024, he will participate in the Singapore International Foundation’s Arts for Good Fellowship programme, exploring inclusive and accessible cultural practice. Tom is currently a Trustee of Cardiff-based, Hijinx Theatre, a professional theatre company working to create pioneering opportunities for actors with learning disabilities and/or autism.

I'm currently attending university in Milan, studying Culture Management. I've been breakdancing and playing contemporary dance for the past fifteen years. I was lucky to grow up in the environment of La MaMa Umbria International, an artistic residency and international research and study cultural center, founded by Ellen Stewart in Spoleto. In the most recent years I've been collaborating also in the organization and management of the activities in La MaMa, like: LaMaMaSpoletoOpen multidisciplinary Festival, special event of the Festival dei 2Mondi, I curate the program that include artistic residencies and international artists; Umbria Factory Festival, that takes places in different cities around Umbria Region. I work in the organization of the artistic residencies programs, and the International Symposium, Playwright Retreat and Next Generation for emerging artists. Marcos Morau is my favorite choreographer and Castellucci my favorite director. I'm not  yes man. 

Vanessa is a cultural connector with an artistic practice rooted in theatre and clown. She is a co-founder of the organization, MTL Clowns and the annual Festival des Clowns de Montréal, of which she is Artistic Director. She takes the importance of community to heart, while showcasing the art of clowning through a dynamic festival with a Montreal flavor. She is also a project manager and arts administrator with a focus on community development and digital marketing. She holds a master's in Media Studies from Concordia University, Montreal and trained at École Philippe Gaulier in France and the Clown Farm in Canada.

Yunghun Kang (Jeram) studied Brand Marketing Management at Sogang University and Visual Identity Design at Kaywon University of Art and Design in South Korea. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in London, UK with ‘Distinction’ for his MA Dissertation, while also being one of only three, out of the fifty-seven students in the Visual Communication Programme, to obtain ‘Excellent’ (top marks), in his final examination.

His name, Jeram, means a person from Jeju as he identifies himself as a survivor of a massacre that occurred in his native Jeju island over 70 years ago. On a killing field, a bullet toward his grandmother went astray and she survived. She gave birth to Jeram’s mother after her traumatic experience. His grandmother could not speak out her voice till a few days before she passed away because of her fear. Jeram wrote his dissertation following his question that how visual art copes with trauma especially focusing on a community level. After the study, 'small voice with a big impact' became the theme for his following projects: Amran’s Bus (2019~), for refugees; You/We come in I/We come out (2018~) and Typeface Gilbeot Project (2020~2022) for sexual minorities; Fing Font (2016), for the deaf; From Room 19 (2022~), for women. He is currently working on a story-telling arts project, DA RA GA, with local children and their mothers from Vietnam on his native Jeju Island.