Salvatore Rizzello is Full Professor of Economics at the University of Salento, Department of Human and Social Sciences, and Director of the Scuola Superiore ISUFI at the University del Salento (Excellence Interdisciplinary School). He holds a Degree in Philosophy from the Università di Lecce and a PhD in History of Economic Thought from the Università di Firenze. Rizzello is the author of several books and numerous articles published in internationally refereed journals on topics such as Cognitive Economics, Institutional Economics, Experimental Economics, the History of Economic Thought, the Economics of Innovation and Creativity, and the Relationship between Economics and other disciplines.
He possesses extensive and profound experience in the educational field, having held the position of Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Piemonte Orientale. Subsequently, he served as the Director of the Department of Law, Political, Economic, and Social Sciences at the same university. He was also involved in different scientific boards, such as the “Vilfredo Pareto PhD School in Economics” at University of Turin, and the board of "The European Tradition of the History of Economic Thought PhD" at University of Macerata.
He maintains a very active international presence, having taught in PhD programs and participated in the final discussion committees of PhD theses at the Universities of Turin, Rome (Sapienza), Macerata, Florence, Pisa, Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France), Rotterdam (the Netherlands), and Valencia (Spain). As a speaker, he has been invited to numerous seminars and conferences in Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Romania, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
With an impressive curriculum, Rizzello has held several prestigious positions, including General Secretary of the Italian Association for the History of Political Economy, General Secretary of the Italian Association of Cognitive Sciences, Council Member of the European Society for the History of Economic Thought, and Secretary of the European Network "Human Reasoning and Decision Making" for the European Science Foundation.
Born in Lecce on August 25, 1943, Adriana Poli Bortone obtained her degree in Classical Literature. In 1968 she became Assistant Professor of Latin Literature at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy of the University of Lecce and then Associate Professor.
She was elected City Councilor for the first time in 1967, and Mayor in 1998, 2002 and 2024. She served as a member of Parliament from 1983 to 1998. On April 16, 1994, she was appointed Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies (president Irene Pivetti). On May 11 of the same year, she was appointed Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Resources (Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi). She was a member of the European Parliament for two terms, elected in 1999 and 2004. Since 2003, she has been President of the Agency for Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage.
Since 2003 she has also been a member of the Permanent Consultation of Ministers of Agriculture. She was a Senator of the Republic from 2008 to 2013.
Aida Kalender is a cultural management and cultural policy scholar, cultural advocate and an activist who studies the convergence between sociality, technology, culture, and sustainability, with a focus on the implications of participatory practices in the public domain. She is interested in bottom-up organizing, social movements and institutional change through emancipatory politics (critical pedagogies in art, policies, academia and activism). Currently, Aida is engaged through the SIAS | Socially Intelligent Artificial Systems research group at the Informatics Institute of University of Amsterdam in the Horizon Europe funded project CommuniCity (https://communicity-project.eu). A three-year project (until August 2025) is working together with companies, public organisations, associations, tech providers, and citizens to develop solutions for marginalized communities.
Alan Salzenstein is Professor at DePaul University in Chicago where he directs the MFA/Arts Leadership and Performing Arts Management programs. Salzenstein is an international correspondent advisor to the board of ENCATC and past president of AAAE (Association of Arts Administration Educators). He has held various Executive Director positions for a wide array of arts organizations over the past thirty-five years, with a long history of theatrical producing, devising and presenting many special events, membership on various arts boards, and as an arts consultant. He is a frequent invited speaker on topics related to arts management and legal issues in the arts, having presented across North America, Europe and Asia. Salzenstein is also an attorney, focusing on issues related to the performing arts industry.
Ana Zuvela is a cultural policy expert whose career spans a diverse array of roles within the arts and culture sector. With a foundational degree in the arts, Ana began her professional journey as a cultural officer in local government, managing cultural funding and programming. This role provided her with a deep understanding of the intersections between politics, policy, and cultural production. Her pursuit of further expertise led her to academia, where she earned an MA in Cultural Policy from University College Dublin and a PhD from the University of Zadar. Currently, Ana is employed at the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO), where her research focuses on cultural governance, power dynamics within cultural policy, and democratic innovations in the field. Alongside her academic work, she has actively collaborated with civil society organizations, public institutions, and authorities, building transnational partnerships that contribute to the development of cultural policy and practice.
Graduated in Statistical and Economic Sciences (1993), her postgraduate studies concerned the economics and management of social, health and cultural companies and social and cultural innovation.
After many experiences in the public and private sector for the planning and evaluation of socio-cultural policies and for local development (1995-205), from October 2005 she’s public manager, expert in planning and evaluation of public policies for welfare and for economic and cultural urban regeneration.
From October 2021 Director of the Protection and Enhancement of Cultural Heritage in Regione Puglia; coordinator of regional policies for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage with the contribution of EU and national funding; contact person for policies to promote cultural welfare in Culture and Tourism Department - Regione Puglia.
Member of the regional working group for the implementation of the regional strategy for gender equality.
Expert in business incubation, marketing, complex project management, and international cooperation, she graduated in computer science and has over thirty years of experience with Tecnopolis, the Science and Technology Park of Bari. She has led research projects, technology transfer, and training initiatives, preparing proposals for regional, national, and EU public tenders. As a member of the Register of 100 Community Experts on Science Parks and the Evaluation Board of the European Incubators Association, she has evaluated existing structures and provided design support as an independent expert.
Annick Schramme is a full professor and academic director of the master in Cultural Management and the Competence Center Management, Culture & Policy (Faculty of Applied Economics at the University of Antwerp). Additionally, she is academic director of the Competence Center Creative Industries at the Antwerp Management School. She has published about Arts policy in Flanders, cultural governance, international cultural policy, public-private partnerships in the heritage sector, leadership and cultural entrepreneurship, etc. From 2004 until 2013 she was also advisor-expert of the Vice-Mayor for Culture and Tourism of the City of Antwerp. From 2013-2017, she served as president of ENCATC, the European network on cultural management and policy.
Annukka Jyrämä, PhD, docent, a professor at Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Cultural Management -program and as docent at the Aalto University School of Business, Finland. Her research interests include branding, social responsibility, knowledge creation processes and the role of mediators from institutional and network theory perspectives. She has published for example in International Journal of Arts Management, Management Learning and Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society.
With a background as an archaeologist and a two-sided English and Ciociarian soul, Antonia is a restless researcher who is focused on formal, non-formal and often international learning processes that are meant to improve the skills and attitudes of those who want to impact on society through culture. Curiosity and resilience are her top soft skills.
Ashkhen Fixova has been the Office and Project Coordinator at AEC - Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen since April 2023. Within the framework of the ARTEMIS flagship project, Ashkhen coordinates the AEC Goes Green Working Group (WG). The WG brings together advocates of the green shift, who are highly motivated and committed to investigating the link between arts and the environment. Currently, the WG is preparing guidelines and examples of good practices for the AEC members (more than 300 in total) to make the sector more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Carmen Croitoru is the Manager of the National Institute for Cultural Research and Training (INCFC), professor and expert in cultural policies and strategies. She belongs to the first generation to promote cultural management to Romania, working for over 35 years in the cultural field, both in the private and public sectors. She is PhD Assoc. Prof. And coordinator of the Cultural Management and Marketing Course at the National University of Theatre and Film „I. L. Caragiale” in Bucharest. She is currently Vice-Chair of the Bureau of the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape - CDCPP, Council of Europe. She is a member of the most important international cultural networks (Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends, ENCATC, Culture Action Europe, Scientific Council of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe) and is involved in the development process of strategies that can pave the way towards a coherent regulatory framework for culture in Romania. She has been collaborating with the Ministry of Culture for over 15 years, being involved in the development of the profession of cultural manager and the promotion of the law on management for public cultural institutions. She has also had an important contribution to the scientific field by coordinating studies related to the system and administration of culture, the cultural consumption or the analysis of the cultural and creative sectors.
Since 2014, he has taken over the leadership and reorganized the National Institute for Cultural Research and Training, as it is today, becoming an important link between authorities, cultural institutions / organizations and beneficiaries. Through all her coordinated research studies, as well as through all the national and international conferences that she’s been organizing, she has always campaigned for the importance and development of statistical research in the field of culture.
Carmine Moccia is a Ph.D student in Digital Transformation and Sustainability, in collaboration with Lutech. His academic training has solid roots in economics and finance, having obtained a three-year degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Salento (L-33). This foundation allowed him to develop fundamental skills in economic analysis and financial management.
Subsequently, Carmine continued his studies with a Master's Degree in Economics, Finance and Insurance (LM-56), which allowed him to further delve into the dynamics of financial and insurance markets. During this period, he acquired an integrated and advanced vision of economic systems, with a particular focus on sustainability and innovation.
In his doctoral path, Carmine focuses on the impact of climate change on the financial system and the evaluation of sustainability practices. Through the collaboration with Lutech, he has the opportunity to combine theory with practice, working on concrete projects that aim to facilitate the digital transition of companies, while promoting sustainable practices.
Christiane Dätsch is professor of cultural management at the department of Social Work. Media. Culture at Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany. She teaches and researches at the interfaces of cultural management, culture and the cultural sector. She studied Journalism, German and Roman Languages and Literatures (M. A.) at the universities of Bamberg, Germany, and Lyon, France, and received her Ph.D. from the department of Modern German Literature at the University of Hamburg, Germany. She worked in journalism, cultural PR and cultural management and was a senior lecturer at the institute of cultural management at Ludwigsburg University of Education, Germany. Since 2024, she holds a professorship for cultural management at Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany.
Art and cultural heritage historian and senior lecturer, Dr Claire Giraud-Labalte led a Master’s in cultural management that combined cultural heritage and performing arts management. She continues her activities as a lecturer and researcher with a rich experience in Life Long Learning and a multidisciplinary approach to heritage. [Her research works centers around travelers in Europe and their view on cultural heritage and society (long 19th century)]. She is involved in regional cultural life (Territoires imaginaires’s president, Pôle des acteurs du patrimoine en Pays de la Loire former president, the Val de Loire – world Heritage scientific committee’s vice-president).
Committed at the European level, ENCATC ambassador since 2012, she has contributed to the realization of several works: Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe (2015); European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21st Century (2016) and associated tools. She is currently a member of the European Heritage Label panel.
Constance DeVereaux works in the fields of cultural policy and cultural management as an educator, researcher, and consultant. She is the co-author of the well-regarded and much cited Narrative, Identity, and the Map of Cultural Policy: Once Upon a Time in a Globalized World and was lead editor of the series Cultural Management and the State of the Field, which documented and benchmarked key ideas and concepts in the development of the field. Her work focuses on critique of cultural policy and cultural management practices, as well as on development of theoretical frameworks for new vocabularies in the field. She has edited a number of widely used books including Managing Arts and Culture: Cultivating a Practice, and Cultural Management: Sense and Sensibilities in the State of the Field. She was the first person to have served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in arts management and policy. She is the Managing Editor and Co-Chief Editor of Journal of Cultural Management and Cultural Policy and sits on the editorial boards of Culture et Gouvernance Locale and DIY: Alternative Cultures and Society. Constance has worked with cultural organizations worldwide, and has lectured at universities in Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa.
Dr. Cristina Ortega Nuere works as Chief Academic and Operating Officer of World Leisure Organisation, a non-governmental organization born in 1957 with consultive status of United Nations, since she was appointed in January 2016. Doctor in Leisure and Human Development, with a Master degree in Leisure Management, specialized in Cultural Management, she graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy from the University of Deusto and completed her studies in London, Middlesex and at Westminster University. She has done several research stages, the last ones at the University of Fordham (New York, EEUU) and Cambridge (UK). Previously to her present work, she has worked for over two decades at the University of Deusto as professor and researcher; the last five years as Director of the Institute of Leisure Studies and Principal Researcher of the official research group on leisure and human development. She has been the ENCATC President for 4 years, the leading European network of cultural policies and management education and research; and the Chair of ENCATC’s Policy Group Monitors of Culture, made up of over 40 cultural observatories worldwide. She has also been Jury member of the European Capitals of Culture. She has also been appointed twice as Member of the Basque Council of Culture of the Basque Government. Her area of specialization is cultural policies, cultural and creative industries, evaluation, wellbeing and human development. She has participated in more than 50 research projects and wrote dozens of books and articles in the leisure and cultural field. She wrote a book of reference on Cultural Observatories where she built a utility model adopted in several cities and countries, Ortega, C. (2010) Cultural Observatories: Mapping of Observatorios Culturales. Creación de Mapas de Infraestructuras y Eventos, Barcelona. Ariel. She usually participates as a speaker in international scientific conferences worldwide, among her last conferences: Monitoring cultural policies and measures for sustainable urban economies and societies, UNESCO Creative Cities Beijing Summit II, Beijing, June, 2016; Research, evaluation and cultural policies, UCLG Culture Summit Culture and Sustainable Cities, Culture 21, Agenda 21 for Culture, Bilbao, March, 2015; FOCUS UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries, Florence, October, 2014.
Born in 1953, Cristina holds degrees at the Milan University and at the Piccolo Teatro Dramatic Art School in Milan. She’s an active promoter of European cultural policies, contributing to their creation at the European Parliament and to treasure them in Italy, as Advisor to the Minister of Culture, with tasks including Jury Member for the Italian Capital of Culture (2017-2022). As chair and member of different EuropeanThink Tank for culture aiming to the European CCSs, she’s actively contributing to European networks , being in particular Europa Nostra Vice president and active member of PEARLE-Live Performing Arts, and Culture Action Europe. In Bergamo, her hometown, Cristina is President of Fondazione Ravasio, running the Puppet Museum and activities. She’s invited as lecturer by academic and professional fora. She loves theater, art and education, with a civil spirit and managerial attitude. Based in Italy and in the USA, Cristina is a truly frequent flyer.
Dan is a Distinguished Professor and the Director of the Master of Entertainment Industry Management Program at Carnegie Mellon University. Based in Los Angeles, CA, Dan has extensive experience in TV production, having worked on shows like ER, The Sopranos, The West Wing, and directed the pilot Munhall starring George Wendt. As a theatre director, his work has been produced in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Dan has also served as a Casting Director for projects including The Kennedy Mystique: Creating Camelot for National Geographic Channel and Nixon in China, 72 for CCTV, Beijing. He has a MFA in Directing and his Ph.D. focused on first-generation student experiences at private universities in China.
Dan is the President of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and is an International Correspondent Board Advisor for ENCATC as well as being a member of the jury for the ENCATC Research Award. Dan is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In addition, he sits on the Les Paul Audio Educators Advisory Council whose mission is to promote the legacy of Les Paul as an inventor and innovator of audio technology.
Davide is a senior project manager and coach at the Tecnopolis Science and Technology Park, where he has been directly involved in the restructuring of its business support processes. As CPO, Davide is responsible for all Tecnopolis’ project-based operations. Among other things, he is responsible for the project area, director of the training department, and manager of the incubator. Davide has been working permanently at Tecnopolis since 2012, where he has been able to be responsible for numerous cross-border cooperation projects, giving him extensive experience of best practices in international business support. Davide has managed numerous project management and business creation laboratories and is a professor on project management in a master’s degree program at the University of Bari and at the LUM University. Over the years, Davide has gained significant experience in technology transfer of research results, business creation, and incubator management.
Dea Vidovic is the Director of Kultura Nova Foundation, a Croatian public foundation dedicated to advancing contemporary arts and culture within civil society. With a background in comparative literature and Indian studies, she obtained her PhD in the cultural policy field from the University of Zagreb in 2012. With her experience as a cultural manager, policymaker, journalist, editor, researcher, and trainer in cultural management and policy, she has developed a deep understanding of the complexities of culture and development. She has over 15 years of dedicated research experience in cultural policies and the integral role of cultural and creative instruments in sustainable development. Her collaborations reach local, national, and international levels, amplifying her influence. Vidovic's dedication to academia is showcased through her teaching cultural policy and management, leading cultural policy research, writing papers and publications, speaking engagements at research conferences and events, and enriching discussions on contemporary cultural practices. Since 2022, she has been chair of the Philea Arts & Culture Funders Forum and, since 2023, contributes as a Board member of the İzmir Mediterranean Academy.
Dr. DeNatale earned his PhD in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985. Prior to joining the Metropolitan College faculty, he was the president of Community Logic, Inc., an arts consulting firm specializing in research and documentation. He previously served as director of research for the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), where he played an instrumental role in forecasting the emerging creative economy and in developing the web-based research database CultureCount.
Formerly, Dr. DeNatale was director of the Lowell Folklife Project at the Library of Congress and director of the oral history and folklife program and collections at the University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum. Trained as an ethnographer, Doug has overseen collaborative arts research projects for the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Library of Congress. He conducted oral histories for the Lowell National Historic Park, the Southern Oral History Program, and the J. Alden Weir National Historic Site, and curated exhibitions for the McKissick Museum and the Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
As an early adopter of technology, DeNatale has helped many New England cultural institutions establish their first websites. He has also been involved with technology projects for Heritage Preservation, the New England Museum Association, and the Boston Foundation. His research on the creative economy is widely cited, with publications that include Documenting the Arts (NEFA) and Passion & Purpose: Raising the Fiscal Fitness Bar for Massachusetts Nonprofits (Boston Foundation, co-author).
Ekaterina Pelevina has been working for the Goethe-Institut since 2020, initially serving as a project manager in the cultural department at the Goethe-Institut in Saint Petersburg. In 2022, she relocated to Brussels to join the EU Liaison Office. Currently, she is part of the Culture Moves Europe project, an artistic mobility scheme funded by the European Commission and implemented by the Goethe-Institut.
Elena Borin is an Associate Professor at Link Campus University in Rome, Italy. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Doctor Europeus and her PhD thesis on "Public-Private partnerships in the cultural sector" won the 3rd ENCATC Research Award on Cultural Policy and Cultural Management and the IUSS Best Thesis award. She is member of Scientific Committees of several academic programs and international committees working on the themes of sustainability and the cultural and creative sector, among which the university network “Routes Towards Sustainability” and the international summer school "After the Damages”. Her most recent articles address topics related to partnership, funding and sustainability published by the Journal of Cultural Management and Policy, Journal of Intellectual Capital, Urban Design and in the Springer FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Her research interests include international cultural governance, multi-stakeholder partnerships, funding and financing for the cultural and creative sector and CCIs in the sustainability paradigm.
Mr Ernesto Ottone Ramírez is the Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO. Prior to this position, Mr Ottone Ramírez served as Chile’s first Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage from 2015 to 2018. As Minister of Culture, he created a Department of First Peoples, a Migrants Unit and strengthened copyright laws and heritage protections. During this time, he also chaired the Regional Centre for the Promotion of Books in Latin America and the Caribbean (2016 – 2017). From 2011 to 2015, Mr Ottone Ramírez served as Director-General of the Artistic and Cultural Extension Center of the University of Chile, which manages the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, the Chilean National Ballet (BANCH), the Chile Symphony Choir and the Vocal Camerata. From 2001 to 2010, he held the position of Executive Director at the Matucana 100 Cultural Center in Santiago.
Evelina Sarantidi, as the Corporate Marketing & Communications Manager at SNFCC, is responsible for safeguarding the brand profile of the Foundation across local and international channels (e.g., media, sponsorships, stakeholders). She also leads a strategic marketing development plan aligned with the organization’s key mission: to activate public space to enrich the lives of visitors and foster values and practices that will lead to a more equitable, sustainable, and cohesive society. Before joining the SNFCC, Evelina served as a Communications Manager at the FMCG multinational company, Red Bull, for almost 9 years, marking her first professional shift into the marketing business. Prior to that, she worked as a journalist, covering cultural pieces, features, and interviews for the weekly magazine of a Greek Sunday newspaper.
Francesca Imperiale is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at the University of Salento (Italy), where she also stands as Vice Director of the ISUFI School. Since 2008 she has been teaching management of cultural organizations, with a focus on heritage asset management, accounting and risk management. On these topics, she participated in several research projects in partnerships with public institutions in Italy and in the Mediterranean area. In the period 2018-2021 she served as President of the ENCATC – European Network on Cultural Management and Policy.
Francesco Spina is the Sustainability Officer at the Conservatoire of Liège, where he plays a key role in advancing environmental sustainability within the cultural sector. He has contributed to several European projects focused on sustainability and inclusion through digital innovation. Francesco holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, and his research interests include degrowth theories and public funding for the arts. A passionate musician, activist, and polyglot, he has been a vocal advocate for arts students in both national and international policy arenas.
Gaia Danese is an Italian career diplomat and a PhD in International Relations at the Institut d’Études Politiques of Paris (Sciences Po). From 2000 at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has worked for the Italian Embassies in Lisbon, Montevideo and Madrid. She has been Consul General of Italy in Barcelona from 2017 to 2021. Currently, since March 2024 she is International Cultural Relation and Public Diplomacy Coordinator at the European Union External Action Service, where she has formerly been Seconded (since 2022) from the Direction General for European Affairs of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affair as a National Expert to advice the Secretary General on Cultural Diplomacy, in the frame of the Communication Policy and Public Diplomacy Division (SG. STRAT.1). In 2009 she received the “Innovation Protagonists” award of the Italian Public Administration Forum. Since 2017 she has coordinated in Spain the ITmakES project (design&making and innovation). An initiative launched by the Italian Embassy in Madrid and the Consulate General in Barcelona as an exchange program between Italian and Spanish talents, makers and creative people to develop new common projects and promote cooperation between the two Countries, in sectors such as fashion, design, music, food and education. The ITmakES project has been awarded the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Prize for best practices in the promotion of Italy abroad. In this frame, in 2019 she created and started a new project: “MUSE – A new wave in the Mediterranean”. MUSE aims at the empowerment of female Italian artists and feminine creativity in the Mediterranean on the cultural most avant-garde scene, especially in music. In 2021 in this same frame she has launched the project “Ragazze Italiane” an exhibition of portraits of Italian female talents in Spain, including also inspirational talks with those women leaders. In Barcelona, in close collaboration with the local authorities, she has also worked intensely in creating connections, exchange of experiences, and common projects with Italian Cities such as Milan and Florence, and Regions as Sardinia and Apulia, creating and supporting specific cultural events and networking initiatives. She has also lectured public servants and students at the Scuola Superiore della Pubblica Amministrazione in Rome, at the University of Siena, at the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid (Colegio Mayor),at the European Design Institute (IED) in Barcelona, at the University of Sevilla. She has published several articles and essays in international relations issues, three books of poetry and performed as a contemporary and tango dancer in Italy and abroad.
Geert Drion (1960, NL) is an independent researcher and consultant. He studied Music (BA), and Cultural Policy & Management (MA). He was manager of several cultural institutions and lectured at the Utrecht University and Radboud University Nijmegen. He is currently working on a PhD (on the process-conception of culture) at the University of Groningen.
Gerald Lidstone, BA MA ATC Dr.h.c FRGS is the Director of the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London and founder of the MA Arts Administration and Cultural Policy and co founder of the MA in Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship programme and the MA in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy, the first worldwide. Previously he was HOD of the Department of Theatre and Performance in Goldsmiths, having originally trained as a scenographic and lighting designer as well as a production manager with extensive design and touring experience in Eastern Europe and the USA. For the British Council and other agencies he has also taught Arts Management courses including, Arts Marketing, Arts Education, Fundraising, Copyright and Strategic Planning in over 20 countries. He has worked for over twelve years on behalf of The Ministry of Culture and Information in Viet Nam establishing Arts Management education in Hanoi University of Culture, funded by the Ford Foundation, well as being awarded the national medal for culture in Viet Nam. He was also the director of a four-year British Know-How Fund (Foreign Office) project establishing arts management education in Slovakia. An outcome of this was the publication of the first book on arts management in Slovak and the British Council project Closer to the Museum. He has recently completed a major research evaluation of a dance projects for Sadler’s Wells in the UK using the Five Ways to Wellbeing framework created by the New Economics Foundation.
Since 2004, GiannaLia Cogliandro Beyens is the Secretary General of the European network on cultural management and policy, ENCATC. She is also the administrator of the Thomassen mobility programme and serves on several boards. GiannaLia is an expert in EU affairs and international relations, with more than 30 years’ experience in advocacy, cultural policy, and strategic management, in the context of international cultural NGO. Since 1998, GiannaLia has also successfully designed, drafted, and managed a large number of EU cross-sectorial projects in the field of culture, education, and research.
Former Policy Officer of the Cultural Forum of EUROCITIES, GiannaLia was also Secretary General of the Association of the European Cities of Culture , AECC. Journalist since 1993, she started her career as Press & PR Officer for the N.A.T.O organisation in Rome. For the European Commission, she wrote 10 Reports on social European policy and a major study on the European Cities of Culture of the year 2000. Educated at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome, GiannaLia holds a Degree in Political Sciences - International Relations and two additional masters in European & International Career Studies, and a in European Constitution. Since 1993, GiannaLia is member of the Association of the Former trainees of the European Union.
PhD in “Art History, Theory and Criticism” from the University of Barcelona. He is Lecturer at the Cultural Management Programme of the UB, and Coordinator of the Postgraduate Course on International Cultural Cooperation. He is the Project Manager of CHARTER. He is currently teaching in different Universities and academic programs internationally. Herman combines academic research, cultural management, curatorial practices and artistic methodologies, collaborating with a wide range of networks, projects and organizations internationally.
Jaime Alberto Ruiz Gutiérrez is an Industrial Engineer and Master in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad de los Andes at Bogotá Colombia. He subsequently made a D.E.A. in mathematics and applications and obtained a PhD in mathematics applied to the social sciences from the École E.H.E.S.S. des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales at Paris in 1982. From 1994 he is Associate Professor and researcher at the School of Management at Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá Colombia. He has developed research in the following topics: Organizational Demography, Cultural studies and Arts and Cultural Management. He has published three books and several articles in International Journals. He was the organizer at Bogota, in June 2013 of the XII International Congress on Cultural Management AIMAC (The International Association of Arts and Cultural Management). He is a member of l'Academy of Management since 2003 and international jury of ENCATC (European Network on Cultural Management and Policy) and a permanent member of AIMAC
Jerry C Y Liu is the Dean of College of Humanities, and Professor of Graduate School of Arts Management and Cultural Policy at the National Taiwan University of Arts. He is the Editor in Chief of the international journal of Culture: Policy, Management, and Entrepreneurship. Liu was the first President of Taiwan Association of Cultural Policy Studies, and now the Executive Director of TACPS. Liu is invited as the Advisory Board member of the ENCATC Book Series 2022-2024, ENCATC International Correspondence Board Member 2015-2022, and jury member of the Cultural Policy and Management Research Award. He is also on the Advisory Board of ANCER since 2014. He was invited as the Guest Professor of Burgundy School of Business in 2019. Liu is the International Scientific Committee member of Cultural Management: Science and Education. He was the consulting member of Culture Fundamental Act since 2011-2019, and the Global Outreach Office of Ministry of Culture in Taiwan in 2013-2015. Liu is the author and editor of Taiwan’s International Cultural Relations: Culture as a Method (2022, in Chinese), and ReOrient: An East Asian Approach on Cultural Policy and Cultural Governance (2018, in Chinese). He is the project organizer of “2023-2024 Objective Analysis Framework of Cultural Value and Cultural Impact for Cultural and Creative Parks” and “2017 Project of Cultural Congress and Cultural White Paper” for the Ministry of Culture in Taiwan. Liu has also hosted the 2022 TAICCA project of “Evaluation on the Cultural and Social Impact of Cultural Content Industries”; and 2021-2024 “Co-Vibrate Project”, “Vine Project”, and “Being Project” of the Huashan 1914 Creative Park. His current research focuses on cultural sustainability, cultural SDGs and ESG, the eco-system of creative and cultural economy.
João Leiva Filho is a Brazilian researcher and cultural entrepreneur. Leiva holds a degree in Economics from USP (University of São Paulo), a Master’s degree in Cinema from USP, and a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from UOC (Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain). In early 2024, Leiva completed his PhD at Goldsmiths, University of London, at the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship. He has worked as a journalist for newspapers such as Folha de S.Paulo and Valor, and in communications for the Secretariat of Culture of the State of São Paulo before founding his consultancy company, JLeiva Cultura & Esporte. JLeiva has conducted numerous non-academic investigations in the cultural sector in Brazil, including mapping theater productions and independent music venues in the city of São Paulo, and the job market for professionals in the animation industry. Leiva has also led several studies on cultural engagement in Brazilian cities.
Economist with a master’s in Economic Policy and Public Economics and a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Valencia, he holds a Data Science certificate from Harvard University. He has worked as a consultant in cultural economics at the specialised consulting firm Culturalink and as a quantitative analyst at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in Ispra, Italy.
He is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Valencia and is a member of the research unit on Cultural Economics and Tourism (Econcult), where he has participated in European projects such as MESOC and Measuring CCS. His research focuses mainly on the impacts of cultural and creative industries on well-being.
Julia Glesner, born in Saarlouis in 1975, earned her PhD in Karlsruhe after reading theatre studies, political science and German philology in Mainz and Paris. After working as the head of the PR department at Erfurt Opera and head of communcations and marketing for the Klassik Stiftung Weimar, she became professor of Culture and Management at the FH Potsdam in 2017.
Before joining academia, Leticia Labaronne studied Performing Arts in the United States, and then went on to work as a professional ballet dancer in Europe for over ten years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the United Kingdom and a Master of Science in Public and Nonprofit Management from Switzerland.
Since 2009 she has been working with the Center of Arts Management at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. Labaronne directs the executive Master in Arts Management at ZHAW. Since 2019 she serves as a Head of the Center of Arts Management at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences.
Her focus with respect to consulting and research is cultural policy, fundraising as well as evaluation in the nonprofit and arts sector. Her current doctoral research relates to evaluation practices in the Performing Arts. The research focus of her doctorate was motivated by her late artistic career. Labaronne is committed to applying her working knowledge of the field to explore new research paradigms that can better capture the complexity of artistic activities, and shed more light on the creative processes in the Performing Arts.
Liliana Turoiu is currently Director of the first Master in Business Administration of the Creative & Cultural Industries within the University ASE Romania and PhD Professor at the National Fine Art University from Bucharest. She is a former diplomat, she has been the Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute (RCI) in Brussels and RCI President between 2017-2019.
Professor Turoiu’s involvement in large-scale international cultural initiatives includes serving as the General Coordinator for EUROPALIA International Art Festival 2019, where she oversaw the exhibition dedicated to Constantin Brâncuși at BOZAR. She is also a BRAFA Ambassador and an ENCATC Ambassador.
Her accolades include the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the French Republic, Woman of the Year in the Art and Culture Section (in 2017, Romania), and various national and international awards for her contributions to art and culture.
As a visual artist, Liliana Turoiu has exhibited her Art works in over 100 solo and group exhibitions worldwide. Her notable exhibitions include the project "Zestrea" at Ateneo Veneto in Venice, at Thalia Palace in Lisbon, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and Bran Castle in Romania.
Lluís Bonet is Professor of applied economy and Director of the Cultural Management Graduate program at the University of Barcelona, specialized in cultural economics, cultural policies and arts management. He has been president of ENCATC, board member of many academic and cultural organizations, and coordinator / active participant of many international research projects (H2020, Eramus+, Creative Europe, IADB, National research or Arts councils …). He is the coordinator of the Erasmus+ project CHARTER ('Cultural Heritage Action to Refine Training, Education and Roles').
Doc. Ing. MgA. Lucie Pešl Šilerová, Ph.D. is an associate professor at the Department of Music Production of the Faculty of Music of JAMU and a guarantor of the Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degree programmes there.
Lucie’s research interests focus on the symphonic orchestra, which is also the central character of her monography titled Německé „Kulturorchester“: Struktura, organizace, financování (German “Kulturorchester”: structure, organisation, financing) published by Verbum in 2017.
Already during her studies, she founded the Kultura & Management association, which is focused on education in the area of cultural management. In the following years, she assisted with or directly produced a number of interesting projects, including the Central European Symposium of Art Management with Michael Kaiser in 2009 or the 2012 “Celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rudolf Firkušný”, which included a concert by Firkušný’s students from the American Julliard School. In 2018, she founded the Open House festival in Brno, which opens architecturally interesting, but otherwise inaccessible places to the public and which is being attended by tens of thousands of fans. Between 2020 and 2021, she served as the guarantor of the PR Department of the Faculty of Music of JAMU. In 2021 she was at the birth of the New World student festival, which took place as part of the Moravian Autumn international festival.
In 2013, together with Daniela Peclová, she founded the Symposium: Arts | Music
| Management. She is a member of grant evaluation committees (e.g. of the
Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic), a member of the board of directors of
the Opus Musicum magazine and a member of the Music Production Doctoral
Board at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.
Ludovico Esposito is a Southern-Italian cultural professional operating on a glocal perspective since 2014. He’s founder and president of Sud Sonico, a music non profit organization that uses music for positive change. The organization aims to generate impact on a social, educational, humanitarian and climate action level, and it persecutes the goals by producing music festivals, capacity-building, humanitarian events, and reforestation initiatives surrounded by sounds and music. The organization’s main projects are AVANT Festival, an avant-garde music boutique event, AVANT Learn, music management capacity-building, and Musica Etica, music fundraising event for good causes. Since 2017, he supports and accelerates music organizations in strategic development, management and fundraising. His goal is to help music operators to relate and cooperate with corporations, foundations and public bodies, augmenting the funding mix and the sustainability of music-cultural projects and organizations.
Mara Cerquetti is Associate professor in Management at the Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism of the University of Macerata. At the same University, she teaches Management and Organization of Cultural Institutions, Cultural Marketing and Tourism and Heritage Management. Her research and publications focus on: cultural management and policy; cultural heritage value, value creation and measurement; cultural marketing; museum visitor studies; museum management; sustainable tourism; the links between cultural heritage and made in Italy.
She has been a member of the Scientific Committee and Editorial Board of the Journal “Il Capitale Culturale. Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage” since 2010, the Teaching Body of the PhD Programme in Global Studies. Justice, Rights, Politics of the University of Macerata since 2020 and the Board of Directors EUM – Edizioni Università di Macerata (2022-2024). She is also a member of ENCATC, the European cultural management and policy network, and of the Advisory Board of the “European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy”.
She was born in Porto. She has a degree in Philosophy (1982), a Master's in Philosophy/Aesthetics (1986) and a PhD in Aesthetics/Philosophy - Faculty of Philosophy Braga/U. Católica Portuguesa (1998). She is Coordinating Professor - Aesthetics and Education - at the Porto Polytechnic School of Education, where she coordinates the Heritage Management degree and the Heritage, Arts and Cultural Tourism Master's degree. She coordinates the research line on Culture, Art and Education - InED (FCT)/ESE-P.Porto, of which she was director. She is a member of various scientific and editorial committees of scientific journals in Portugal, Spain and Brazil. She is an art critic (member of AICA) and independent curator. Her main lines of research are: Aesthetic Education and Contemporary Art; [In]visibility of women in history: thought, work and action; Travelers: writers and artists in the 19th century; Landscape, Travel and Utopia; Writing, Image and Performance - intermediality. She publishes regularly in scientific journals and is the author of books and monographs.
After the degree in Art History she has been awarded the Diploma of Specialization in Modern Art History; the PhD in Experimental Pedagogy with a thesis on museum education. As member and President of Eccom (1995 – 2008), She has carried out research, consultancy and training regarding the relationship between culture and territory, with particular reference to contemporary creativity, the social role of culture and the educational value of museums and heritage. She worked at the Italian Ministry of Culture first as Director of Educational Services of the National Gallery of modern and contemporary art, and at the General Directorate Education and Research, where she directs the Training and Research Unit. Since to 2018 She is Responsible for Training at the Fondazione Scuola dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali. Martina is part of CHARTER's Working Package 3: Vocational Education and Training and beyond.
Marzia has a background in archaeology and digitisation of cultural heritage. She joined the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) in 2002 as a project manager for EU funded projects on digitisation policies and in support of Europeana, the European infrastructure for digital cultural heritage. Now she works at the Fondazione Scuola dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali as culture policy expert. Her experience includes policy advice for digitisation programmes, education and training on cultural heritage, organisation, networking and workflow facilitation of digital cultural heritage collaborative projects across museums, libraries, and archives. Marzia is part of CHARTER's Working Package 3: Vocational Education and Training and beyond.
Dr. Milena Dragićević Šešić, prof. emerita, former President of University of Arts, Belgrade, founder of UNESCO Chair in Interculturalism, Art Management and Mediation, professor of Cultural Policy & Management, Cultural studies, Media studies. Diplomas: D.E.A. Paris-VIII 1977, Mag. University of Arts Belgrade (1981), and Ph.D. in literature and communication University of Belgrade (1990). Commandeur dans l`Ordre des Palmes Academiques (French Ministry of Education) 2002. ENCATC Fellowship Laureate 2019. University of Arts Laureate in 2004 & 2019. Guest Lecturer at numerous world universities. Published 20 books and more than 200 essays: Vers les nouvelles politiques culturelles; Art management in turbulent times: adaptable quality management; Intercultural mediation in the Balkans (both with S. Dragojevic); Culture: management, animation, marketing; Neofolk culture; Art and alternative… Translated in 17 languages. Expert for UNESCO, European Cultural Foundation, Council of Europe. Realized 50 projects & programmes in cultural policy and management (Europe, India, Cambodia, Arab countries, Central Asia).
Milena Deleva holds master's degrees in Cultural Studies from Sofia University and in Arts Administration from Baruch College. She serves as the Executive Director of the Association of Arts Administration Education in the US. Before this, she acted as the Managing Director of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation for Creative Writing for nearly 15 years, overseeing the foundation's initiatives in both Bulgaria and the United States. Under her leadership, EKF’s work has garnered coverage by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishing Perspectives, Poets & Writers, Oberlin's College Blog Reading in Translation, and the organization was shortlisted for the Literary Translation Initiative Award of the London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards 2021.
In her current role, Milena spearheaded year-round programs for the Association of Arts Administration Education, such as the first year-round Mentorship Program, Professional Development and Research Series, and the Arts Administration Fellowships, and increased the organization's budget tenfold.
She routinely participates in review panels at the Department of Cultural Affairs in New York, among other arts councils. Milena co-authored Cultural Policy, Politics and Change (ed. Boekmanstichting, Amsterdam, 2005) and wrote Technological Park Culture (ed. Ecumest, Bucharest, 2005). She contributed to the anthology "Stories from the 90s" (ICU, 2023).
Nicolae Stanciu is the Vice-Rector of International Academic Affairs, Business and Research Development at Netherlands Business Academy, Breda-Dordrecht, South Holland. Holding a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and a rich experience in university administration as a project manager of Top University Management Programs in Kazakhstan and Romania he became six years ago the director of MBA program Culture, Heritage and Citizenship, unique in Europe, designed and implemented as a double degree in some neighbouring countries like Germany and Czech Republic.
He has been publishing on the main fields of interest such as culture and arts/cultural management, heritage preservation, European citizenship, cultural diplomacy, digital culture and language, green deal and inclusion. He has quite rich experience in projects like European Capitals of Culture and as a curator of exhibitions and multimedia events.
Nina Luostarinen is a Doctor of Arts from the University of Lapland, Faculty of Arts and Design. She works at Humak University of Applied Sciences in the Department of Cultural Management as an RDI specialist and senior lecturer, with a special interest in combining art with various industries and areas of society. She has a background in puppetry, media art, and cultural management. Both her research and artistic interests intertwine with topics such as imaginary worlds, playfulness, serendipity, connection to places, and facilitating emotions that can foster attachment and empathy.
Paola C.D. De Pascalis was born on december 21, 1997, in Bari. After classical high school, she studied law in bari graduating with 110 honors and plaudits. She practiced law and anticipated notary practice achieving both in September 2022. In 2022 she finished her Master's degree in Art Law at Luiss Law School with 110 cum laude. She won his doctorate in October 2022 with a project based on the fiscal profiles of cultural heritage enhancement and management. Since January 2024 she has been a lawyer.
Paolo Montemurro, Director of Materahub, project manager of EU funded projects since 2008, is working since 2010 on capacity building actions for the Creative and Cultural sector and support to young entrepreneurs and startup in the cultural and social sector. Since 2014, he has worked on cross-fertilization between arts and other sector of economy, society and culture. Actively involved in the process of candidature of Matera 2019 European Capital of Culture particularly on the capacity building process for cultural organizations that will develop the artistic and cultural program, he has been working on the topic of internationalization and networking at EU level for the Creative and Cultural sector. Since 2016, he is the person in charge of bringing Materahub in European networks among which the European Creative Business Network, Creative Business Cup Network, European Creative Hubs Network. In this network, he has worked with EC Science HUB JRC on a pilot project to discover how creative hubs can become places to co-design policies to support youth employment through the Creative and Cultural sector. In 2018, he has started a new project focused on supporting faculties of arts & humanities on developing new spaces for innovation, entrepreneurship education for students and academic staff, cross -fertilization with companies.
Paolo Ponzio is Full Professor of History of Philosophy at the Research
and Humanistic Innovation Department of the University of Bari Aldo
Moro, Head of the same Department and Responsible for the Civil Service at the same University. His main research interests concern: 1) the metaphysical philosophy of Tommaso Campanella and the nexus between politics and theology of grace in the early modern age; 2) the Copernican question and the relationship between Galilean science and theology; 3) the philosophy of Xavier Zubiri.
He directs the Revue “Elementa. Intersection between Philosophy,
Epistemology and Empirical Perspectives" and is a member of the
scientific Committee of the international Yearbook of the History of
Metaphysics "Quaestio" and of the Revue "Post-filosofie".
President of the Pugliese Public Theater "Consortium for the arts and
culture", he was Coordinator of the strategic plan of culture for the
Puglia region "PiiiLCulturainPuglia" and Coordinator of the Scientific
Committee of the Phoenicians' Route, Cultural Itinerary of the Council
of Europe.
Co-founder of Melting Pro, Head of Ecological Innovation. Project Manager, trainer and consultant in the cultural and organizational sector. Coach in Generative Leadership, certified by the Institute of Generative Leadership (USA/LATAM), she guides organizations and professionals in developing strategic skills, radical collaborations and effective conversations necessary to generate actions and results that build shared and sustainable futures. She is interested in exploring the potential of culture and creativity to restore the role of nature and its relationship with humans, rethinking how we build urban spaces by inseparably integrating human creations and nature. Certified facilitator in digital storytelling by the Storycenter in Berkeley (USA).
Pekka Vartiainen is a principal lecturer in the department of cultural management at Humak University of Applied Sciences in Finland. His publications include books on literary history, methodology, literary production and cultural policy and management. Pedagogy, research in multidisciplinary areas, festival management, heritage management, international cultural policy and networking are his main areas of interests. He is a head of master degree program in cultural management at Humak, Helsinki.
Philip Meersman (°1971) is a Master in Archeology & Art Sciences (VUB Brussels) and will present his PhD in the Arts at AP University College Antwerp researching the transformation of visual poetry transforming into an immersive XR experience in Fall 2025. He coordinates the Urban Travel Machines project, funded by Creative Europe. Meersman pushes boundaries of poetry in both written and spoken form, drawing on current affairs, sociopolitical and environmental issues, and he is known for engaging with audiences in co-creating instant poetry based on prompts given by the audience. In addition to performing, Meersman also writes and talks about poetry in all its forms and teaches art and art history within the socio- and geopolitical context. He is festival curator for Poetryfest.brussels, Transpoesie.eu, Public Poet Brussels and is president of the ivzw World Poetry Slam Organization aisbl. Books: “This is Belgian Chocolate: Manifestations of Poetry” (Three Rooms Press, NY, NY, USA, 2014, ISBN: 9781941110010) “There Is Blue Somewhere” (Cyberwit, Allahabad, India, 2020, ISBN: 9789390202966) “Het Omstandereffect” (Boekscout Uitgeverij, Soest, The Netherlands, 2023, ISBN: 9789464896381) More on his artistic and organizational work: https://spooninmybrain.org
Pravali Vangeti is a professional working predominantly at the cross section of culture, policy and international relations. As the Policy and Communications Officer at ENCATC, she is responsible for policy analysis and stakeholder engagement within the cultural and creative sectors. She is part if the ENCATC Green Team and contributes to the organisation's internal and external sustainability commitments.
Prior to joining ENCATC in 2024, Pravali was the focal point of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme (2019-2023) and has collaborated with international stakeholders including the European Commission, IFACCA, the Asia-Europe Foundation and Europa Nostra, on cultural domains.
Richard G Maloney, PhD, is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Performing Arts Administration graduate program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, and an Affiliated Faculty member of the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University (USA). He teaches courses in performing arts management, cultural and creative industries, and cultural policy.
Dr. Maloney’s research has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, and published by the Brookings Institution and the Journal of Cultural Management and Policy. His primary research interest is exploring why and how small and midsize municipalities pursue cultural economic development as an urban regeneration strategy. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the journal “Cultural Management: Science and Education.”
From 1985 to 1998, Dr. Maloney played guitar and keyboards in several rock bands in the Boston area. Since that time, he has focused on the renaissance and baroque lute and has performed in dozens of early music concerts. In addition, Dr. Maloney worked as an arts administrator for seven years before entering academia.
Dr. Maloney is a former Vice-President of ENCATC, the European Network on Cultural Management and Cultural Policy Education. He is a member of the jury for the ENCATC Research Award, given annually to the best dissertation in the field of cultural management and policy. He also serves on the board of directors of the arts advocacy organization Mass Creative, where he is co-chair of the Arts Policy working group. Previously, Maloney served six years on the board of directors of the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE).
Dr. Maloney has undergraduate degrees in European History and Music (classical and jazz guitar), a Graduate Diploma in Early Music Performance (lute), a master’s degree in Arts Administration, and a doctorate in Law and Public Policy (cultural policy).
Roberta Capozucca is a cultural project manager and journalist, with a degree in Cultural Anthropology from University College London (UCL) and a specialization in Cultural Economics and Management. She began her career in London, collaborating with the Hackney Museum on the new Immigration Museum. In 2015, she moved to Brussels, working with the cultural research agency KEA European Affairs. After returning to Italy in 2016, she started working at the Società d’Incoraggiamento di Arti e Mestieri in Milan and started collaborating with the Italian newspaper Sole24Ore where she deals since then with cultural policies. Since 2020, she has been a consultant for cultural and creative projects, collaborating mainly with DM Cultura, acompany specialized in the digital transformation of the cultural sector, as the head of the Tenders and Contracts office, and Materahub, a company specialized in European project planning and consulting for the cultural and creative sector.
Roberto Bernad is manager of European funds at Fundación Banco Santander, an organization working in culture, social action and education in Spain. He holds a Bachelor in Arts and a MA in International Relations. For several years, he held several management positions in the editorial and design sectors. He moved then into the social sector, where he worked in European funds management linked to social services and EU social policies. He is an expert in homelessness policies and as such he has worked as director of a homelessness programme, conducted research and coordinated international research projects, and advised several governments in Europe and Latin America. The years before moving back to the cultural sector, he worked as a consultant in social policies and EU funds for public administrations and NGOs. At Fundación Banco Santander, he is coordinating the CreaSus project on sustainability of cultural industries, and working on relations between culture, territory, sustainability and social justice.
Roberto Ferrari, born in Taormina, Sicily in 1981, was appointed the director of Museo Galileo - Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence in 2021. Ferrari had an impressive academic background, having graduated from Bocconi University in Milan and earned a PhD in Management from LUISS G. Carli University in Rome. His career included significant contributions to cultural and research initiatives in Tuscany, where he directed the Culture and Research Directorate from 2015 to 2020. During this time, he oversaw major projects such as the creation of the regional university student charter, the acquisition of the Alinari heritage, and the establishment of the Ginori Museum-Archive Foundation. Ferrari also played a key role in the development of Toscana Open Research and contributed to the national research framework. Additionally, he served as a member of the Commission for the National Museum System and the Board of Directors of the National Galleries of Ancient Art in Rome. Prior to his work in Tuscany, Ferrari was the managing director and partner at Struttura srl, where he coordinated various cultural projects, including those for the Grande Brera project and the revitalization of Cinecittà.
Rosanna has ten years’ experience working for the British Council on arts and culture, international cultural relations, and sustainable development. She advocates for the value of arts and culture to address local and global challenges, such as the climate emergency, in an inclusive and sustainable way. As Senior Relationship Manager, she develops and oversees regional and global programmes (including Creative Commissions for Climate Action) and manages strategic partnerships (Focal Point for UNESCO and EUNIC). Rosanna is editor of the ‘The Missing Pillar: Culture’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ (2020) and lead author of ‘Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth’ (2018).
She works on issues of territorial cultural development, citizen participation and cultural mediation. In particular, she has carried out a comparative study of cultural policies in Bordeaux and Quebec City from the perspective of participation.
Holding a Doctor of Arts degree in Art and Design and an M.Sc. in Economics, Toni-Matti has authored over 100 academic publications spanning design, brand management, and popular music. With a rich background as an Academy Research Fellow and Research Director at Aalto University, he has managed diverse research projects across consumer products, design, technology, and cultural domains. Toni-Matti boasts a strong international presence, having served as a visiting professor, speaker, and researcher in the Nordic countries, the Baltics, Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea for almost two decades.
Vânia Rodrigues worked as an arts manager in various cultural organisations, from national theatres to independent theatre companies, before transitioning to a research career. With a PhD in Artistic Studies, she currently works as a researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, where she is the director of a dedicated platform called Modes of Production – Performing Arts in Transition and the Principal Investigator of the GREENARTS project, as well as the founder of the postgraduate programme in Arts Management and Sustainability – three initiatives musing on the intersection between the arts and the ecological emergency.
Dr. WU Chieh-Hsiang is Professor of the Department of Arts in the National Changhua University of Education of Taiwan, Taipei City. She earned her master and doctorate degrees of sociology and art history in Carl von Ossietzky Oldenburg, Germany. In 2013 and 2014, Dr. WU chaired Taiwan’s Association of the Visual Arts, a nationwide association for the rights and benefits of visual artists. Since 2021, Dr. WU chairs the Taiwan Association of Cultural Policy Studies. In addition to her devotion to cultural policy, Dr. WU is an accredited essayist and art critic; her articles are published in various periodicals and platforms. Her recent research focuses on the culture of memory and art projects reflecting the unjust incidents in the past, as well as the interrelations between the state power and exhibiting institutions.