Cristina Fuentes La Roche - International Director Hay Festival - UK/South America

Up to 25 emerging festival directors from all over the world are about to take part in the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Johannesburg, South Africa. For them, it is the opportunity to exchange with experienced presenters on topics that concern them in their current work and future ambitions. One of these presenters is Cristina Fuentes La Roche, International Director Hay Festival UK/South America.

Cristina Fuentes La Roche has worked at Hay Festival since 2005. She created and has directed Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias, Colombia since 2006; Hay Festival Segovia, Spain (co-director) since 2006; Hay Festival in Mexico since 2010; Hay Festival Beirut, Lebanon since 2011 (now interrupted), and Hay Festival Arequipa, Perú since 2015. Together with Unesco World Book Capital, she has managed specific projects promoting young talent: Bogota39 in 2007, Beirut39 in 2010 and Africa39 in 2014, as well as the Port Harcourt Unesco World Book Capital in 2014, Mexico20 (celebrating the Year of Mexico in the UK and the Year of the UK in Mexico in 2015) and has developed within Hispanic festivals a ‘publisher sector get-together‘.

Before joining Hay Festival, Cristina worked for three years in Canning House – the House of Latin America in London promoting cultural understanding between the region and the UK – and was Director of National Events at Arts and Business for five years. She has a Bachelor of Business and Administration degree from the Autónoma University Madrid in Spain and a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from Birbeck College, London.

You can find more here.

Renowned mentors from all over the world will guide the participants throughout the seven days of the Atelier Johannesburg 2018 under the coordination of Mike Van Graan (Founding President of the African Cultural Policy Network - South Africa): Mantse Aryeequaye (Co-Director at Accra [Dot] Alt, Director and founder the Chale Wote Street Art Festival - Ghana), Cristina Fuentes La Roche (International Director Hay Festival – UK/South America), Carole U. Karemera (Artistic Director Ishyo Arts Centre – Rwanda), Annet Lekkerkerker (Director Holland Festival – The Netherlands), Ismail Mahomed (Chief Executive Officer, Market Theatre Foundation – South Africa), Carmen Romero Quero (Executive director of Teatro a Mil Foundation – Chile) and Brett Pyper (Associate Professor and Head Wits School of Arts – South Africa).

More information about the Atelier Johannesburg 2018 can be found on the Atelier website.

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