Go back CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
31.05.2024.
Let’s get to know a bit more about the NHLP-EU closing conference’s “LEADERSHIP IN CIRCUS” keynote speakers and workshop leaders!
The conference will take place on June 19–20, 2024 at Rīgas cirks. The registration is free. Work language: English.
Helen Cole
Artistic Director/Co-CEO – In Between Time
(she/her)
Helen is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Co-CEO of In Between Time, which she started in 2009, and the influential In Between Time International Festivals (2001-2021).
Helen is a radical thinker, innovator, and visionary dreamer with 30 years of experience of leadership in the arts and cultural sector in the UK and internationally. Her expertise includes strategic cultural leadership and programme planning and design. She leads inspirational projects including sectoral, infrastructure and artistic work, and the establishment of new organisations, and nationally and internationally significant initiatives. Helen believes the arts can change the world and artists are vital to our future. For Helen, working locally and collaboratively with a global perspective are vital to culture, and she works to promote equity, inclusion, access, sustainability, well-being and lifelong learning.
Helen Davies
Co-CEO – In Between Time
(she/her)
Since 2020, Helen Davies has been Co-CEO for In Between Time. She is a dedicated arts leader with over 30 years’ experience working across formal and informal education, multi-disciplined cultural organisations and historic and contemporary collections, among which Artes Mundi, The National Museums and Galleries of Wales and Arnolfini International Contemporary Arts Centre. She has extensive experience in organisational leadership, building exemplary teams, strategy and development, pedagogy, audience engagement, recognising and optimising the diversity of partners and stakeholders.
Helen is passionate about democratising leadership and collaboration, seeing audiences as partners in a shared journey of cultural enrichment. She believes organisational relevance lies in discovering new voices and being open to be changed by them.
Santa Remere
Artistic Director – New Theater Institute of Latvia
Co-curator – Homo Novus Festival
Project Coordinator – DemArt
(she/her)
Santa is the new Artistic Director of the New Theatre Institute of Latvia (NTIL) and curator of the International Contemporary Theatre Festival Homo Novus. She has an education in visual communication (Waseda University, Tama Art University in Tokyo) and has worked extensively as a publicist, art and literature critic, and editor of the online magazine “Satori.” Santa has been involved in various NTIL projects since 2015, primarily developing artistic participation projects for youth and other underrepresented groups in the cultural sphere.
In her new tenure at NTIL, Santa is focusing on innovative contemporary performing arts, promoting the visibility, agency and inclusivity for marginalised social groups, and improving and strengthening access to culture for diverse audiences.
Silja Kyytinen
Founder and Director – Sirkus Magenta
(she/her)
Silja is the Founder and Director of Sirkus Magenta, a social circus association active since 2011 and based in Helsinki. Silja is experienced social circus trainer and pedagogue, with a background working regularly with people of varying physical and mental abilities such as the elderly, people with disabilities and mental health issues.
With Silja at its helm, Sirkus Magenta works towards an equal and communal world, promoting social inclusion and wellbeing of people of all ages and abilities. Silja believes in interdisciplinary collaborations, and Sirkus Magenta is well connected both nationally and internationally, working closely with different partners from the art, health and social fields.
Tilde Björfors
Founder and former Artistic Director – Cirkus Cirkör
(she/her)
Tilde is Cirkus Cirkör’s Founder and former Artistic Director (1995 – 2023). Tilde Björfors took the first step towards leadership in 1995 – out on a tightrope and into a new art form. During her soon-30 years in the industry, Tilde has been at the forefront of a leading circus art movement in both performance creation, artistic direction and circus pedagogy in the Nordics. For her work, Tilde has received countless accolades and awards and she became Sweden’s European of the Year in 2017.
Sandis Voldiņš
Member of the Board – Latvian National Opera and Ballet
(he/his)
Member of the board of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, member of the council of the Latvian Academy of Culture. Accumulated long-term work experience in public administration in the Ministry of Culture and the State Chancellery, including extensive experience in the field of culture – both as a former state secretary in the Ministry of Culture and in various public and non-governmental cultural organizations. Planned and managed large-scale successfully implemented culture, investment and development projects.
Antonia Kuzmanić
Co-leader – ROOM 100
Artistic Director, Executive Producer – Peculiar Families Festival
(she/her)
Antonia is co-leader of contemporary circus collective ROOM 100 which she set up with Jakov Labrović.
She was laureate of “Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe” project for C8H11NO2 performance, in the 2009-2010.
She is the artistic director and executive producer of the contemporary circus festival “Peculiar Families Festival” happening in Split, Croatia. She coordinates Creative Europe projects ROOM 100 is part of (Hand to hand, Circus Without Circus, circusnext platform), design and implement projects and programs that are developing the sector in the Eastern Europe.
