| Farooq Chaudhry co-founder and Producer of Akram Khan Company, plays a key role in forming innovative business models to support Akram Khan’s artistic ambitions, as well as offering creative support during the development of Khan's projects. Chaudhry is a witness of the School for Social Entrepreneurs. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged him in a list of the world's top hundred cultural actors and entrepreneurs in 2008. In addition to his work for Akram Khan Company, Chaudhry is also International Creative Producer for China’s national dance icon Yang Liping since 2016 and Producer for English National Ballet 2013-2017. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University for his services to dance in 2014. |
| Ruth Collier after her studies (English Literature and Philosophy) worked in several mediating roles in the contemporary performing arts. Starting as a producer for theatre and dance in Klapstuk Festival en Stuk in Leuven (Belgium), she continued as a company manager for Belgian-based choreographers Pierre Droulers and Thomas Hauert and was Managing Director for Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels. Currently she is working as an independent art consultant and project manager (on EU applications, missions in management and education) and coordinates the preparation of the IETM Plenary Meeting in Brussels, November 2017. |
| Gundega Laiviņa runs New Theatre Institute of Latvia, a project based organisation working in the field of contemporary performing arts. Since 2009 she is artistic and managing director of Homo Novus, International Festival of Contemporary Theatre. Gundega has studied music, theory of culture and social anthropology. In 2011 and 2015 she was a curator of Latvian National exposition at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space; from 2010 till 2014, she was a member of the artistic board of Riga – European Cultural Capital 2014 being particularly responsible for site-specific initiatives and artistic practices involving non-professionals. |
| Mary Ann DeVlieg is an independent consultant and activist. She evaluates international cultural collaboration projects, programmes and policies for the European Commission's culture and science programmes, individual projects and private foundations. Since 2010, she protects and defends human rights of artists-at-risk. She founded the EU working group, Arts-Rights-Justice; was freeDimensional ’s Director of Strategic Development 2013 - 2015 and is a co-founder of the Arts-Rights-Justice Academy, University of Hildesheim. From 1994-2013, she was Secretary General of IETM. She founded/co-founded www.on-the-move.org and Roberto Cimetta Fund for Mobility in the Mediterranean; constructs professional training courses, and is a frequent speaker, conference moderator and group facilitator. In 2006 she was awarded the EU Individual Prize for services to artists mobility. Currently a Board member of Highlight Arts UK and Ettijahat Independent Culture Lebanon. |
| Nan van Houte is a cultural manager with an academic background. Her professional experience in arts and culture ranges from program developer, producer, dramaturge, teacher and journalist to running the main black box venues for contemporary performing arts in Amsterdam (Frascati and Brakke Grond). After 4 years at the Dutch Theatre Institute she is currently Secretary General of IETM. She is chair of the Board of Dancing on the Edge (artistic exchange with Middle East and North Africa) and board member of LaBenevolecjia (humanitarian tools foundation empowering people and groups to encounter hate speech and ensuing acts). As dramaturg and producer, she is working for Breaking the Silence, a multi-annual, multinational production in post-genocide countries. |
