Ása Richardsdóttir
Belgium/Iceland

Ása joined IETM as Secretary General in March 2019. She has been an active member of the network since 1999. Ása founded an independent theatre venue in Reykjavík in 1994 and has since worked for the performing arts as well as in media, politics, banking and academia. Her former positions include television reporter at RÚV Iceland, executive director of Iceland Dance Company, president of Performing Arts Iceland and director of ICE HOT Reykjavík. Ása has led various Nordic, European and international artistic projects and initiatives and been a catalyst in bringing international attention to Icelandic performing arts and Nordic dance.

Jordi Baltà Portolés
Spain

Jordi Baltà Portolés works as a freelance consultant, researcher and trainer in the areas of cultural policy and international affairs, with particular interest in cultural diversity and the relation between culture and sustainable development. He works mainly for the Committee on Culture of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the Asia-Europe Museum Network (ASEMUS). Previously he was a researcher and project coordinator at the Interarts Foundation (2001-14), where he acted as the coordinator of the European Expert Network on Culture (EENC). He is a member of the UNESCO Expert Facility for the implementation of the Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the U40 network ‘Cultural Diversity 2030’, the board of the Catalan Association of Cultural Managers (APGCC) and the board of the Interarts Foundation. 

Pedro Affonso Ivo Franco
Latin America

Pedro Affonso Ivo Franco is a Brazilian Berlin-based musician, consultant and researcher working across the cultural, climate action and international cooperation sectors. His areas of expertise include culture and sustainable development, decolonial approaches to climate and the intersection between artivism and climate justice. For over a decade, Pedro has delivered services to International Organisations, Governments, Cultural and Climate Institutions and artists. Through IETM and previous assignments, Pedro has coached performing artists to raise awareness about climate change and climate justice issues, making them reflect on the role performing arts can have in these discussions and mainly, supporting artists and institutions in designing, implementing and strengthening initiatives to address climate-related issues through their artistic offer. Pedro is also a consultant for the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Samantha Sekai Nengomasha
Southern Africa

Samantha is a human rights and development specialist concerned about strengthening civic action and participation in socio-economic and geo-political development. She believes in the lasting power of art to bring people together, defeat communication barriers, build mutual consensus on progressive resolutions, and the power of cultural diplomacy to strengthen global ties. She has worked with various audio-visual artists in Southern Africa on topical issues, including democracy and human rights, Climate Justice, Diversity and Inclusion. She holds a BSc. in Sociology and has recently completed her Masters in International Relations and Diplomacy. She is interested in inter-disciplinary and multilateral collaboration toward safeguarding arts, media, culture and the environment as global public goods.

Katelijn Verstraete
Asia

Katelijn has worked in the cultural sector and international relations between Europe and Asia for 20+ years. She co-founded the first independent arts space in Shanghai (BizArt). Moving back to Europe in 2003, she worked for KfDA as well as IETM and On-the-Move training, information & communication and Asia connections. Back in Asia (Singapore) in 2006, she led on Asia-Europe cultural exchange programmes in the Asia Europe Foundation and led for 8.5 years the work of the British Council in arts and creative industries in 14 countries in East Asia, developing innovative country and regional programmes to strengthen networks between the UK and Asia through artistic exchanges, skills development and by supporting the role of arts & culture in sustainable development. 

Elena Polivtseva
Belgium

Elena is IETM's former Head of Policy and Research. Previously to this, she has worked in the corporate sector and international NGOs. She holds a diploma in EU non-profit advocacy and negotiation, and a Master’s degree in European Studies (Université libre de Bruxelles) and International Relations (Tomsk State University).

Lottie Atkin
Belgium

Lottie joined IETM in 2022 as Communications and Membership Manager. Previously to this, she worked as a freelance communications and video consultant and as Communications Officer for a financial justice NGO based in Brussels. Originally from the UK, she is fluent in English & Dutch and conversational French with an international background living in The Netherlands, Switzerland, England, India, The Hebrides and now Brussels for an extended period of time. She is a member of the IETM Green Team and responsible for disseminating all of IETM's greening activities and implementing a strategic communications campaign surrounding all sustainable initiatives. She project managed the design and dissemination of Climate Justice - Through the Creative Lens of the Performing Arts alongside its accompanying three-part podcast series.