Participants

This seven-day long capacity building programme targets festival curators from all over the world, regardless of age, gender and nationality, who are interested in exchanging knowledge and experiences between professionals active in the field of festivals and who wish to improve their management skills, learn from renowned experts and exchange ideas and best practices with other participants.

It is addressed at young leaders who are interested in the organization and in the new ways of cooperation and sustainable production. In addition, it is aimed at participants who are interested in becoming part of a network that focuses on knowledge sharing and networking. At the end of the programme, participants will leave with expanded skills in festival organisation and curation with a wide new personal and professional network and with inspiration for new ways of developing their festivals.

Deadline extended! Apply here before 11/05/2025!

li Prando is a Brazilian philosopher, curator, and artist whose work moves between music, performance, and critical theory. He is the founder and artistic director of TRANSFORMA MÚSICA, a festival that combines exclusive concerts, talks, and a queer music video showcase — building dialogues between contemporary art, sound, and political imagination.

Ali also curates ALICATE, a monthly underground party that highlights emerging queer DJs and performers, and the project CARTOGRAFIAS QUEER, a platform connecting major contemporary thinkers such as Jack Halberstam, Bruce LaBruce, and McKenzie Wark with the Brazilian academic and artistic scene.

With a degree in Philosophy, Ali has taught for over a decade in feminist and contemporary philosophy and written numerous essays and articles on music, culture, and aesthetics. He has interviewed more than 200 artists, from Charli XCX to Caetano Veloso, developing a unique perspective on the intersections between pop culture, queerness, and critical thought.

As a musician and producer, Ali released his conceptual debut album and is currently producing his second, exploring electronic and experimental music with strong visual and performative components.

His curatorial and artistic practice seeks to foster new alliances between art, academia, and activism in Latin America, with a decolonial approach that questions institutional frameworks and amplifies queer and experimental voices.

I'm a French teacher, artistic trainer, and cultural facilitator based in Tinghir, Morocco. Passionate about intangible heritage and artistic education, he has been leading creative and community-based projects that bridge tradition and innovation. In 2018, he founded the Lfoual Ahidous Toudgha troupe, dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the musical and poetic traditions of southeastern Morocco.

I have also contributed to the organisation of several major artistic and cultural events, including the Festival of the Immigrant in Tinghir, the Moussem of Todgha, and the Awrach Development Projects (versions 1 and 2), which aim to promote employment, creativity, and community engagement through art and culture.

He has participated in numerous national and international festivals, representing Morocco’s living traditions through music, poetry, and visual storytelling. His artistic and educational approach reflects a deep commitment to cultural diversity, creative learning, and the sustainable transmission of heritage.

Today, I continues to design and facilitate collaborative art workshops that encourage self-expression, intercultural dialogue, and innovation rooted in local identity and collective memory.

André Silvestre was born in Coimbra and holds a degree in classical piano from the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, Denmark, and a master's degree in Music Education from the University of Minho.

As a musician, he has won several national and international competitions representing Portugal and has played in various concert halls from Portugal to Russia over the last 20 years.

As a teacher, his students have won several prestigious national and international awards.

He taught for seven years as coordinator of the piano department at ArtEduca – Conservatório de Música de V.N. de Famalicão and is currently the president and artistic director of Associação MusicVillage, better known as The Village - International Artísticos Residence.

He is the founder of the band Terra Batida and a music producer, and regularly collaborates with Scottish singer-songwriter Sandy Kilpatrick as a pianist, as well as on more than 20 national music projects.

He is also the artistic director of the Cantos de Camilo Festival, which brings together music and literature, and works regularly with the municipalities of Lisbon, V.N. de Famalicão, Arcos de Valdevez, Braga, V.N. de Cerveira, and Ponte de Lima on various musical productions.

I was born in a small village in Belgium in 1985. Growing up in a family where art was part of everyday life, I was drawn to music and culture from an early age — passions that have guided me both personally and professionally.

After studying political and social Sciences at the universities of Leuven and Ghent, I began my career in non-profit organisations advocating for human rights. Yet my love for music soon pulled me back to the cultural field. From 2012 to 2015, I worked as a production and Project Coordinator at Jeunesses Musicales, organising concerts, tours, and festivals for a young audience, and contributed to the organisation’s artistic vision and programming.

In 2016, I moved to Utrecht (the Netherlands) and freelanced for the Tweetakt Festival and the Riciotti Ensemble, before joining THNK – School for Creative Leadership in Amsterdam. After returning to Belgium, I joined Vlerick Business School, coordinating executive programs and company networks. Those experiences broadened my view on collaboration and leadership — insights that continue to shape my approach today.

Since 2021, I’ve been working as Production Manager at Flanders Festival Ghent, leading a team of five amazing colleagues. We organise 3 festivals: STROOM, a sustainable festival set in the Scheldt Valley with mostly outdoor concerts; Ghent Festival, an international music festival focusing on high-quality classical music in its purest form, but also stretches the boundaries with a variety of creative formats; and Festival East-Flanders, which brings concerts to local communities.

As Production Manager, I bridge ideas and execution, linking programs to venues, coordinating artists and partners, managing budgets, and shaping meaningful audience experiences.

I’m a proud mum of two lively kids, aged seven and nine. Next to cultural life, I enjoy, good food and wine, warm evenings with friends, and making music together.

Benjamin Gruner (1989, Chemnitz) is a cultural manager and curator. He is the artistic and managing director of the Spinnerei e.V. association, where he leads interdisciplinary projects such as the Pochen Biennale, Fête de la Musique, and the “enter – Young Cultural Region Chemnitz”

program.

He developed the “enter” program with the German Federal Cultural Foundation as one of the key legacy projects of Chemnitz2025 – European Capital of Culture. Since 2020, he has co-authored the program section “EASTERN STATE OF MIND” and, since 2021, co-curated projects exploring garage complexes as cultural spaces. In 2022, he completed a Master’s degree at DIU Dresden on participatory cultural projects.

He has contributed to “3000 Garages” for Chemnitz2025 and festivals such as Ibug and OSTRALE Biennale. As an expert and organizer, he has worked in cities including Ljubljana, Prague, Wroclaw, Rijeka, and Kyiv. In 2024, he plans new projects with partners in Ghent, Lviv, Oulu, and Nova Gorica.

Constantine (Kosta) Stefanou is a Greek-Australian interdisciplinary research-practitioner, working at the intersection of experimental and applied theories of arts, ecology, and agronomy. Stefanou’s creative practice is rooted in liveness, performance, and community arts. Having performed in Australia and overseas with contemporary original music outfits throughout his 20s, Stefanou progressed towards the incorporation of agroecological lifeworlds rooted in diasporic, working-class, agrarian histories. Alongside his training in agronomy, ecology, and spatial science, he founded the Adelaide-based arts initiative MUD: Improvisation and Extended Domains, an experimental arts initiative supporting the work of transdisciplinary communities of practice. Since 2021, MUD has produced 40+ events, 20 publications, two arts residences, and two creative lab groups, working with local and national arts communities.

He is currently undertaking an interdisciplinary honours project with Flinders University, investigating how Australian rural communities engage in rural eco-social arts initiatives. The project aims to provide recommendations for the development of arts-based natural resource management initiatives through festivals, residencies, and transdisciplinary eco-social research-practice.

Emmie Paranthoiene is an experienced Executive Producer at Brisbane Powerhouse, specialising in the annual MELT Festival and Night Feast. With over 15 years of leadership and senior management experience in the creative and entertainment industries, Emmie has built a reputation for delivering impactful, innovative, and challenging projects.

A graduate of Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Emmie holds a bachelor’s degree in fine art and combines a strong artistic background with a passion for pushing creative boundaries.

In her current role at Brisbane Powerhouse, Emmie has led major initiatives, including the MELT Festival, Night Feast, and the Spencer Tunick installations RISING TIDE 2024 and TIDE 2023.

With over 8 years of experience at Brisbane Powerhouse, Emmie has held key roles as Program Manager, Producer, and Senior Manager, Visitor Services. She has also spent over 7 years in the cinema industry, serving as General Manager & Programmer at Blue Room Cinebar, Rosalie.

Known for her attention to detail, strong communication skills, and emotional intelligence, Emmie approaches each project with boldness, integrity, and a commitment to excellence.

Eva-Maria Eder is a curious cultural worker and mover, devoted to exploring the social and political relevance of the performing arts.

She currently works in planning for Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, where she has been responsible for the production management of ’20 dancers for the XX century and even more’ by Boris Charmatz and the upcoming 9th edition of the UNDERGROUND series, featuring creations of the Tanztheater ensemble. Former experiences include working in administration for Festival TransAmériques in Montréal, in communications for Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, and in international relations for the UNESCO dance council.

When her time and energy allow for it, Eva-Maria enjoys being surprised by creative sparkles and giving in to artistically creating herself, at the intersection of movement and words. (Contemporary) Dance has been her constant companion for over a decade, with residencies at Espace Ouvert in Montréal and ArteSumapaz in Cundinamarca. Eva-Maria holds an undergraduate degree in economics, foreign-language and intercultural studies. In addition, she attended the further training courses ‘Arts & Heritage Management’ and ‘Creating Art in Public Space’.

Personally and professionally, Eva-Maria has an intense fascination for art festivals, considering them as playing grounds for real utopias.

Katerina Kourti has been a member of Cultural Institutions & Organizations and an independent artistic production manager and creative producer. Experienced in large-scale festivals and multidisciplinary cultural productions across theatre, music, dance, visual arts, education and community engagement, her work has been presented at the Athens Epidaurus Festival, Greek National Opera, Flux Laboratory, Onassis Stegi, Nicosia International Festival, PrizrenFest etc.

For the past few months, she has been a Production Coordinator for the Athens Epidaurus Festival, founded in 1955, which is tasked with organizing musical, theatrical and other types of artistic performances. Since 2023, she has initiated Saturday Producers, a platform that promotes networking among cultural professionals in Greece, aiming to provide a space and time for people involved in artistic production and for other creatives, to interact, share and create, within a safe and inspiring environment.

Katriona Grixti (b. 1999) Being fortunate enough to be surrounded by various creative and artistic individuals from a very young age, art and culture have always been two important pillars in her life. She graduated from the University of Malta with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Arts, with her studies focusing on multimedia visual arts, specifically photography, graphic design, and illustration.

For the past two years, Katriona has undertaken the role of programming and productions officer within Festivals Malta. The agency is the national government body dedicated to the nurturing and growth of festivals and cultural events in Malta. She has been serving as project coordinator on three principal festivals to which Festivals Malta acts as the producer – these being the Valletta Baroque Festival (now heading into its 14th edition), the Malta Jazz Festival (having celebrated its 35th edition this past July) and the Valletta Early Opera Festival (3rd edition). This shift into the performing arts has provided her with a better outlook on large-scale cultural projects and she aspires to further her studies in interdisciplinary arts management. She is committed to enriching her local cultural landscape, pushing boundaries, and fostering an inclusive environment for creativity to thrive.

Kirsty Hughes is an experienced music programmer, arts project manager, and producer who has worked on creative projects for a variety of UK-wide festivals and arts organisations. She currently works as a music programmer for Edinburgh International Festival, leading on the programming for The Hub. As the international festival's home, The Hub plays host to a series of intimate performances and events with a distinct focus on cultural integration expressed through musical form. The series also showcases emerging classical musicians through its Rising Stars development programme. Previous work has had a focus on community singing, music in healthcare, and dementia inclusive initiatives. Kirsty is passionate about people and their stories and enjoys creating high-quality events and creative environments where participation, inclusion and social change are at the heart.

KrishnaPriya Ramamoorthy is a festival producer, cultural organiser, and movement practitioner whose work spans the UK, India, and the United States. She is the Director and Producer of Paallam Arts, based in North Wales, where she leads Spirit Fest, an outdoor dance and movement arts festival that commissions new work and creates opportunities for local, national, and international artists to connect directly with communities. Her producing practice focuses on outdoor arts, intercultural dialogue, and building sustainable cultural ecosystems beyond traditional institutional spaces.

Before founding Paallam Arts, KrishnaPriya worked as a festival organiser with Navatman Inc. (New York) and Natya Loka Dance (New Jersey), coordinating touring artists from India, developing community access programmes, and designing strategies for fundraising and audience engagement. She later expanded her producing work to include festivals in New York and San Francisco, supporting multicultural performance and diasporic artistic exchange.

She holds a Master’s and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Policy and Management from, University of London, with a specialisation in South Asian Performing Arts. She is also trained in Bharatanatyam and Kalari Payattu, grounding her practice in embodied knowledge, heritage, and movement-based research.

KrishnaPriya’s professional development includes participation in Tanzmesse (2024, 2022), Clore Leadership programmes (2023–2024), and a residency at National Theatre Wales. She has twice taken part in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, contributing to global discussions on equity and cultural representation.

She currently serves as an advisor to the Wrexham City of Culture Board, a Director of the North East Wales Multicultural Hub, and a Board Member for Ty Gwerin for the National Eisteddfod 2025. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to supporting artists historically excluded from mainstream platforms and to creating cultural spaces where diverse identities and narratives are seen, heard, and celebrated — exploring how festivals can act as spaces of encounter where culture is shared, expanded, and reimagined together.

With a Master’s degree in Business and Administration and a background in Interactive Media, I bring together creativity, strategy, and a deep appreciation for storytelling in everything I do. For the past two and a half years, I have been part of Festivals Malta, where I’ve had the opportunity to produce five festivals, each one a new challenge and a chance to blend artistic vision with strong organizational skills. My work involves collaborating with artists, curators, and cultural institutions, ensuring that every event not only runs smoothly but also captures the imagination of its audience.

Before joining Festivals Malta, I worked as a journalist, with a particular interest in cultural and human stories. That experience honed my ability to connect with people, to listen closely, and to tell stories that reflect the richness of Maltese culture and the shared human experience. It also taught me how to communicate clearly and creatively; skills that have proven invaluable in my current role.

Outside of work, I’m happiest when I’m creating something. Whether it’s building an intricate Christmas village, decorating a space, or finding inspiration in art, I find joy in the details and beauty of craftsmanship. I also have a long-standing love for drawing, which I hope to revisit soon, and I unwind by watching Formula 1 or building LEGO sets (both offering a perfect balance between focus, creativity, and design).

Ultimately, I see myself as someone who thrives where creativity meets organization, whether producing a festival, writing a story, or bringing a personal project to life. I’m passionate about culture, driven by curiosity, and always eager to explore new ways of connecting people through art and experience.

Lilu Knape (*Jena, Germany) holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Leipzig and an M.Sc. in European Urban Studies from the Bauhaus University Weimar and Istanbul Technical University. Their research stretched from more-than-human theory, decolonial thought and counter/memory-strategies to queer-feminist movements in authoritarian environments. They have worked in many self-organized independently funded groups and cultural projects as an activist, researcher, mediator, curator, artist or producer, primarily in East Germany (Warte für Kultur und Debatte e.V. 2018-2022, zeitraum festival 2019, Geräuschkulisse e.V. 2018-2021, politur e.V. 2019-2024, Stimulart Naumburg Kreativ 2021) but also Turkey (Tarlabaşı Toplum Merkezi 2022-2023, transpride Istanbul 2023) and Portugal (Waking Life 2025). The latest project they have been part of is an arts and science residency in Jena, where researchers and artists engage in creative research and jointly produce artistic facts (künstlerischen Tatsachen 2022, 2025). Alongside anti-racist educational work (offener prozess, Chemnitz), Lilu is currently exploring artistic-experimental and anthropological approaches to investigate the olfactory dimensions of collective sensory perception. Their dream is to merge all those fields of interest and conflict, to create a queer counter-space for collective understanding, care and action.

iz Kinoshita is a Canadian/Belgian choreographer, performer, pedagogue, organiser, and dance advocate. She recently finished a freestanding MA course in Arts & Cultural Entrepreneurship at Stockholms Konstnärliga Högskola, where her thesis focused on audience engagement and development ‘Entrances & Exits’ for the potential expansion of presentation of contemporary dance in non-dance led venues across Sweden. Her interview with Swedish arts mediators is published in TURBA Journal for Global Practices in Live Arts Curation. She presently organises a monthly event 'höjden nights' presenting multidisciplinary artists within a convivial context at höjden studios in Östberga, and is part of the curatorial team for höjdenfestivalen 2025 whose theme is reprise, presenting only previously premiered works, aiming to extend the public life of performances. Liz has organised as an advocate for dance communities through groups such as State of The Arts, voices for dance (BE) and Danscentrum Stockholm (SE), gathering research and testimonies from the field to communicate with policy makers and a general public, and is presently working with Danscentrum toward a cultural political symposium in Stockholm in Spring 2026.

As a performer she has worked with ZOO/Thomas Hauert, Tino Sehgal, among others, and created her own work with collaborators such as Clinton Stringer, Justin F. Kennedy and Salka Ardal Rosengren. Her practices focus on musicality in dance, working with live performances shared internationally the past two decades.

Lu Linares (they/them) is a festival programmer and arts administrator. Born in Peru and based in Toronto, their work is deeply influenced by their experiences as a queer immigrant. Lu has programmed and worked with imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival, aluCine Film and Media Arts Festival, Toronto Queer Film Festival, Vancouver Queer Film Festival, Urbanworld Film Festival, and Breakthroughs Film Festival.

As the Programming and Industry Manager at the Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, Lu focuses on creating opportunities for emerging queer and trans filmmakers in the film industry. They oversee Inside Out’s RE:Focus Initiative, which supports women, trans, and nonbinary filmmakers through grants, networking, and training opportunities — including the RE:Focus Residency, which assists first-time feature filmmakers in the development stage.

Lu has served on international juries for NewFest, Frameline, Out on Film, and ReelAsian, and is part of the reviewing teams for Chicken & Egg Pictures’ (Egg)celerator Lab and the Firelight Fund, contributing to the advancement of diverse and underrepresented voices in cinema. In 2021, they received the Queer Emerging Artist Award from Buddies in Bad Times Theatre for their work in film and theatre

Mariia Vorotilina (she/her) is a culture manager, curator and activist from Zhytomyr, Ukraine, currently based between Berlin and Chemnitz. She is the project coordinator of the „enter – Academy“ at Spinnerei e.V.

Previously, she has worked with international human rights organizations such as Terre des Hommes and the Norwegian Refugee Council in Ukraine, and at the International Center for Fine Arts Kampnagel in Germany. Mariia also managed the Berlin-based project and network „feminist translocalities“, which supports queer feminist and decolonial movements across Eastern Europe, North and Central Asia, and the South Caucasus.

Mariia's work focuses on the performing and visual arts through queer feminist and decolonial lenses. She is particularly interested in critically examining the concept of "Eastern Europe" as an invented construct and exploring the Western gaze on this region. Additionally, Mariia engages with themes of translocal grassroots solidarities within complex political contexts, as well as practices of care.

ichael Peter Johnson is a London-based producer and cultural worker whose practice spans dance, theatre, live performance, fashion, and film. Working in close collaboration with artists and organisations, he brings performances, festivals, participation projects, and digital experiences to life—creating spaces where communities, creativity, and culture intersect.

Michael’s recent producing credits and partnerships include Ballet Queer, Adaire to Dance, Jean Abreu Dance, Sonny Nwachukwu, Gateway Arts, Luca Silvestrini’s Protein, Lindy Nsingo, Matthieu Geffre, Joel O’Donoghue, and Joshie Harriette. His wider collaborations across the cultural sector include Diagonal Dance, Venice Biennale, Dance Umbrella Festival, Artangel, Sadler’s Wells, Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, Sheffield DocFest, Mint & Lime, Graduate Fashion Week, Timebased, and Chapman Burrell.

Committed to socially engaged practice, Michael has delivered creative projects in diverse community settings, including schools, pupil referral units, and with refugee and migrant groups. His producing work with Protein earned Community Project of the Year at The Stage Awards 2023, while Saturn Returns by Gateway Arts received a Best Choreography nomination at the Black British Theatre Awards 2022.

In 2022, Michael co-founded Stretch, a conference and showcase festival with Diagonal Dance, designed to connect professionals across the dance sector—welcoming producers, artists, and managers at every stage of their careers.

Michael is a member of the Independent Dance Managers Network (IDMN) and serves on the Board of Directors for the Independent Theatre Council (ITC). He has previously contributed to Equity’s Freelance Dancers Network and One Dance UK.

A graduate of Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance (BA Hons, First Class, 2008), his early career as a performer included collaborations with Wayne McGregor/Random Dance, Lea Anderson & Gary Clarke, and Tom Dale, among othe

Miwa Kaneko, born in Japan and currently based in San Francisco, U.S., is Co-Director of Theatre of Yugen, a non-profit organization that presents Japanese Kyogen comedies in English and produces intercultural original fusion works inspired by Noh and Kyogen in collaboration with local and international artists. She also manages and curates for Theatre of Yugen’s home venue NOHSpace, a 60-seat theatre located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Miwa has also served as Associate Director of the U.S./Japan Cultural Trade Network, Inc. (CTN) since 2017, which curates and presents artists and dance and theatre companies from Japan annually at the San Francisco International Arts Festival.

Miwa has worked in the arts and entertainment field since 2006. As a dancer in New York, she joined a company that created original works fusing Argentine Tango with contemporary dance. Increasingly drawn to producing, she joined the International Business Development Division of the John Gore Organization, where she facilitated Japan tours of Broadway musicals and assisted international investment projects for Broadway productions. As Project Manager at Gorgeous Entertainment, she organized Japan Day @ Central Park, an annual outdoor cultural festival, and facilitated Japanese productions presented at the Lincoln Center Festival.

Miwa spent a year as a high school exchange student in Bern, Switzerland, and she holds a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law.

At the Atelier Chemnitz, Miwa is particularly interested in learning from and exploring with field experts and fellow colleagues best practices in capacity building, innovative leadership, fundraising and sustainable presenting and producing, and equity in international collaboration, particularly as they relate to small and mid-size organizations working with underrepresented communities.

Nadeem Mazen is an artist and Exhibition curator and Projects coordinator From Jerusalem, Palestine.

Nadeem's work explores various societal and local questions, deeply rooted in his experience as a Palestinian living in Jerusalem, surrounded by art from a young age. His conceptual practice integrates texts, artist statements, process documentation, and research as integral parts of the final artwork or even as the artwork itself. His work spans diverse mediums, including collage, video, research, drawing, digital painting, and installation, among others.

As an artist, Nadeem focuses on raising questions and engaging the audience as an active part of the work itself, creating interactive pieces that establish a stronger connection with viewers. He works from the philosophy that art is for the people and the community, emphasizing questions about the presence of artworks in specific times, spaces, and contexts, and their roles within them.

As a curator, Nadeem adopts a similar approach, collaborating with artists to ensure their works resonate with the public. He crafts exhibitions that offer new roles, spaces, and formats for art by reimagining traditional exhibition methods. Nadeem experiments with unconventional display techniques and incorporates unexpected elements into exhibitions to build immersive and dynamic scenes, bringing fresh perspectives to artworks and their settings relying heavily on found objects.

Nadeem has been actively involved in the arts and culture field since the age of 8. He began his journey as a volunteer in various festivals, eventually becoming a core member of the Jerusalem Festival/Yabous Cultural Centre organizing team a role he continues to hold to this day. With over 13 years of hands-on experience, Nadeem has contributed to the planning and execution of numerous festivals, exhibitions, and cultural programs across Palestine. Throughout his career, he has taken on a wide range of responsibilities, gaining deep expertise in many aspects of festival organization.

Naomi Taylor is Founder and Creative Director at Chiltern Arts, and a Doctoral Student at Birmingham City University, studying arts festivals in the UK.

Naomi’s work in festivals began as Event Manager and later Producer at the Ryedale Festival in North Yorkshire, where she worked for 8 years (2014–2021). In 2017, after moving south to Hertfordshire, she founded Chiltern Arts, which will shortly announce its 9th Festival programme (2026). Her festival career has included many aspects of festival management and direction, including those in both artistic and production spaces. In 2024, Chiltern Arts launched a major outreach initiative of Naomi’s devising: “ListenUp: Inspiring a New Generation of Audiences”. The scheme’s inaugural project in 2025 saw 800 children attend a free concert of classical music, and plans are afoot for similar reach in 2026.

In 2022, Naomi began work on an Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award in partnership with the British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA). The title of the PhD is “The UK Arts Festival Inside and Out: Understanding its People, Purpose and Place”. Now in her final year of study, Naomi has spent the past three years interviewing festival leaders and team members across the UK, attending festivals as both audience member and volunteer, and exploring archival materials from the Arts Council and BAFA. Her study takes her into areas that include policy change, funding challenges, leadership practices, wellbeing issues and innovation. Throughout the project the research has been shared with festival colleagues, whose responses and feedback have shaped much of the thinking behind the work.

Outside of work, Naomi sings with The Bach Choir in London, and is a trustee for I Fagiolini and Echo Vocal Ensemble. She lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire with her husband Alex and is mum to 9-year-old Annabel and 7-year-old Benji.

Obiajulu Ozegbe, widely known as 'Valu', is a Dancer, Choreographer, Artist, and Community Organiser based in Lagos, Nigeria.

His works are woven around social issues, and he uses dance as an alternative tool for problem solving, social commentary and community development. His unique approach to dance has earned him features in Mainstream media like BBC World, Euro News, Africa and Aljazeera amongst others.

Valu is certified in Artistic Activism after completing a training with the Centre for Artistic Activism based in New York at Conakry in 2017.

He featured as a dancer on ‘Reincarnation’, a full-length dance piece by QDance Company, which premiered at the Centre Pompidou, Paris, in January 2021 and also went on a world Tour till 2023.

He is a recipient of the Prince Claus Seed Award by the Prince Claus Fund and was awarded the most innovative Nigerian Dancer by the Guild of Nigerian Dance Practitioners in December 2021. He recently also received the award for the best contemporary dancer in Nigeria 2025 by the Grand Awards.

Valu is presently the Artistic Director at Ennovate Dance House, a collective of Hyper Creative Dance Artists based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is the Founder and Co-Curator of the renowned International Community Dance Festival, known as Slum Party.

Valu has performed, given lectures and workshops in Countries like France, Ghana, Germany, Togo, USA, Burkina Faso, Italy, Namibia, Canada, Guinea-Conakry, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia, Switzerland and more. In December 2022, he premiered his first dance piece, “Afro Communal Offering” at the Royal Palace Amsterdam with 5 Dancers from his company Ennovate Dance Company.

He is a mentor/fellow for the Artistic Directors Academy Singapore 2024/2025.

Valu as he is fondly called believes strongly in using dance as a tool for social and community development.

Academic Training

• Degree in Cultural Studies

• Postgraduate course in Portuguese Traditional and Popular Cultural Heritage

Professional Career

• Senior Technician - Culture and Tourism Division (Municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão). Main duties: programming, production and coordination of cultural events; Associative path

• Director of FAMAFOLK – Festival Internacional de Folclore de Famalicão®, which began in 2019 and is organized by Grupo Etnográfico Rusga de Joane.

Since 2012, as a producer and programmer of cultural events at Vila Nova de Famalicão Town Hall. I have had the opportunity to collaborate on projects aimed at enhancing art and cultural heritage among the population, working in partnership with various cultural institutions and cultural agents.

Since 2019, I have been the director of FAMAFOLK – Festival Internacional de Folclore de Famalicão®, taking on the overall coordination of the festival, from programming to production and logistics.

I consider this training an important opportunity to deepen my knowledge and practices in the organisation and production of cultural events, sharing and learning from European colleagues.

Roxána Somogyi is Junior Orchestra Manager & Social Media Manager at the Budapest Festival Orchestra, combining day-to-day work with musicians and productions with the orchestra’s public voice online. She coordinates rehearsals and concerts, liaises with artists and partners, coordinates logistics and documentation with the team, and runs BFO’s Facebook and Instagram channels, including planning, writing, video and visual production, publishing, and performance tracking. Across the season, which spans chamber-music projects, guest-conductor periods, and high-visibility public moments in Budapest and nationwide, Roxána keeps the artistic process and the audience conversation aligned so projects run smoothly, artists feel supported, and the orchestra’s voice stays clear, consistent, and engaging. Each year, this includes the Night of Music across Budapest’s pubs and cafés, BFO's opera festival, and Community Weeks as a nationwide series of chamber concerts. She enjoys collaborative workflows, values good communication, and keeps projects organised, on time, and audience-focused.

Roxána’s approach is grounded in 16 years of piano study and an English and History teacher’s degree from Eötvös Loránd University, which shape clear communication, structured thinking, and an educational mindset that makes complex artistic work accessible without oversimplifying. Earlier roles at the National Philharmonic of Hungary (production, international relations, marketing) and the Liszt Academy of Music (concert and festival coordination, international conducting course) provided first-hand insight into large-scale institutions and international collaboration. Current focus: making music experiences resonate through audience-first strategy, warm artist care, and efficient delivery with attention to detail. Happy to connect on projects that help classical music travel further.

Salma Ja’eh is a cultural practitioner and photographer from Nigeria. She is the Communications and Creative Lead of Open Arts, a literary and arts collective, curators of the Hausa International Book and Arts Festival (HIBAF), a crisscross festival of arts and language by and for African creatives in an indigenous language. The festival showcases the best of contemporary African literature, poetry, music, art, film, and theatre in Hausa language.

Salma’s photography work focuses on stories surrounding identity, womanhood, culture, social justice, and human rights. Salma uses her lens to kick-start conversations and amplify voices for the underrepresented, to counter narratives and to construct a visual analysis of women's socio-political status in a patriarchal society, pulling from history and current state of events. She is passionate about cultural reclamation, women empowerment through cultural reengagement. Her works have explored Hausa feminist writings. Her work takes a documentary approach to cultural and social issues in dialogue with other sources of understanding the human condition and her society at large. She is a recipient of the Emerging Photographer’s Support Fund awarded by Abuja International Photo Festival. You can find some of her works in National Translation Magazine, African Arguments and Goethe Institut House of African Feminism, and have been a part of exhibitions at Abuja International Photo Festival 2021, Kaduna International Photo Festival 2021, Untu Art Gallery 2022, Hausa International Book and Arts Festival 2022, UNDP NorthWest Security Summit Exhibition.

She is currently the curator of Kaduna Hub, Global Shapers Community and initiative of the World Economic Forum.

Suchet Baba is the Founder and Festival Director of Arts and Vibes. She believes that the northern perspective in Nigeria has been undertold and undersold and her duty as a creative is to document, preserve and change the narrative through art. She started Arts and Vibes, in Kaduna to create a platform to empower the artists and youth in northern Nigeria to commune without the ethnographic pressures that lie in the state. In 2023 she was a Seed Award Recipient from the Prince Claus Fund in partnership with the British Council, and in 2025 she was longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. She was also shortlisted for the 2023 Alinea Prize in Nonfiction. Her works have been featured in several literary magazines including Brittle Paper, Kalahari Review, Punocracy and others.

Vidhi Mehra is a multidisciplinary creative professional who has worked at the intersections of arts, education, management, and strategy. Currently an Assistant Manager in Business Strategy at District by Zomato, she brings her diverse background in live events, production, and teaching to experiential hospitality.

Her journey has taken her from managing stages at literature festivals and touring theatre productions across Indian cities to producing Unshared Childhoods, an intimate multi-sensorial performance that unfolded in galleries, terraces, and living rooms in Mumbai. She stepped into the corporate world with Paytm Insider where she managed projects and live events, focusing on cross-functional coordination and creative problem-solving. Beyond production, Vidhi has spent years in academia, teaching English Literature and Communication Skills across Mumbai's colleges. She's equally comfortable facilitating theatre workshops for young people as she is designing curricula or moderating academic discussions.

Her curiosity has led her through various training programmes—from Bhasha Centre's Think Big Think Small for arts professionals to Netflix's Voices of Tomorrow for voice artists. She has researched women's textile histories during Partition (supported by a Tata Trust grant), worked with the Queer Shakespeare Project, and spent a semester studying Cultural Studies in Magdeburg.

Outside work, she boxes to find an outlet for her emotions, basks in the winter sun whenever possible, and throws solo dance parties after particularly challenging days. Based in Mumbai, Vidhi's work reflects a belief that meaningful experiences, whether on stage, in a classroom, or around a dining table, emerge from thoughtful collaboration, creative problem-solving, and a genuine love for bringing people together.

Wim de Vries is part of the artistic team of two nationally funded performing arts companies in the Netherlands: contemporary dance company Club Guy & Roni and NITE – National Interdisciplinary Theater Ensemble. These two organizations “live” and work together as one interdisciplinary house.

NITE creates maximalistic, interdisciplinary, music-driven performances based on newly written texts and original musical compositions. Its productions tour extensively throughout the Netherlands and abroad. In the coming years, NITE will engage in major collaborations with Thalia Theater Hamburg in 2025 and 2027.

Club Guy & Roni develops work in collaboration with independent artists and international dance companies as part of The Human Odyssey. These works emerge from urgent social themes, foster cultural exchange, and push the boundaries of dance and other art forms. Productions tour nationally (approximately 35 performances per season) and in the regions of their international co-creation partners.

Within these companies, Wim plays a key strategic and artistic role. He manages international relations, develops collaborations and co-creations, and coordinates international touring activities. He also oversees the artistic development and long-term planning of both companies.

Wim has initiated and coordinated numerous international collaborations with artists, companies, and festivals, including Brisbane Festival, Cie2k. Far (Morocco), Navdhara India Dance Theatre, SIDance (Seoul), TanzMainz, Pape Seck (Senegal), Mohamedou Ould Salahi (Mauritania), Manuela Infante (Chile), KVS – Royal Flemish Theatre, and CPH Stage.

Wim graduated in 2011 from Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU) with a Bachelor's in Theatre and has been an integral part of NITE and Club Guy & Roni ever since. First as a director’s assistant, later as an assistant artistic director, supporting the daily artistic and organizational direction of both companies

Emily Yeh is Head of Theatre and Opera Programming at the National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts (Weiwuying), Taiwan, where she has worked since its opening in 2018.

Located in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, the National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts (Weiwuying) is one of the world’s largest performing arts venues under a single roof. Designed by Dutch architect Francine Houben of Mecanoo, the centre occupies 9.9 hectares within Weiwuying Metropolitan Park, integrating architecture, nature, and public space. It houses four major indoor performance halls—the Opera House, Concert Hall, Playhouse, and Recital Hall—as well as an outdoor Amphitheatre. Since its opening, Weiwuying has become a landmark for arts and culture in Asia, presenting a wide range of performances spanning music, theatre, dance, and opera, and serving as a hub for artistic exchange, education, and community engagement.

With a background in classical music—majoring in piano and minoring in cello—Emily holds a Master’s degree in Culture, Creativity and Entrepreneurship from the University of Leeds, UK. Her previous experience spans classical music management, international concert programming, and project planning at a leading music magazine.

At Weiwuying, Emily curates a wide range of domestic and international theatre and opera productions. She also leads the “Weiwuying Showtime” series, featuring concerts, music theatre, and talk shows. In addition, she plays a curating role in the annual Children’s Festival, a three-week summer event dedicated to young audiences. The festival presents family-friendly programs across various performing arts disciplines—including dance, theatre, circus and music—and features both indoor performances and outdoor events, aiming to attract families to the venue and nurture future audiences.

Emily is passionate about expanding access to the arts, fostering cross-cultural exchange, and exploring innovative performance formats that resonate with diverse communities.