Momentum

We will be hosting networking events, giving you the opportunity to meet our delegates, at our Delegate Centre across August:

South Korea Networking
Monday 12 August, 11am – 12.30pm (open for registration)

MENA Networking
Tuesday 13 August, 11am – 12.30pm 

Türkiye Networking
Tuesday 13 August, 2pm – 3.30pm (open for registration)

Mexico Networking
Tuesday 20 August, 11am – 12.30pm (open for registration)

Poland Networking
Thursday 22 August, 2pm – 3.30pm (open for registration)

You can find out more information on the delegates and their events (including registration) below.

Second year working with Momentum.

Watch the delegates' video introductions here.

Please note there is no open networking event for Viet Nam. If you are interested in connecting with the delegates, please get in touch.

Nguyen Tien Huy (he/him)
Pencil Group
Nguyen Tien Huy is the CEO of Pencil Group, a cultural marketing agency in Ho Chi Minh City working across music, film, fashion, publishing and gaming.  Pencil Group also runs creative industry conferences and events, such as the Hozo International Music Festival 2022 and Hozo Music Industry Workshop 2023.   It collaborates widely across the creative industries and with government agencies and has invested in creative cultural companies like Production Q and Time Books.

Mai Thanh Son (he/him)
Ho Chi Minh City College of Culture and Arts
Mai Thanh Son is Deputy Principal at the Ho Chi Minh College of Culture and Arts, where almost students are enrolled.  The college delivers training courses in culture, arts and tourism as well as conducting research into cultural policy.  He is also the Vice Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Centre of Arts and Literature, a hub for training, exhibitions, workshops and festivals, which provides space and support for artists and the local community.  Mai Thanh Son is a professional musician and teaches traditional music at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatoire.  He is also the director of the annual Slide on Strings music camp in Da Lat.

Nguyen Thi Hoi An (she/her)
Da Nang City Department of Culture and Sports
Nguyen Thi Hoi An is Vice Director at Da Nang city department of culture and sports.  The department’s role is to support the development of the arts and culture sector in the city.  It also runs two theatres and a cinema/cultural centre.  Nguyen Thi Hoi An works to connect artists and cultural organisations, nationally and internationally, and support them to present programmes, events and festivals in Da Nang.  Key events include the International Fireworks Festival, the Da Nang Asian film festival and a programme of outdoor work along both banks of the Han River.   

Bui Thi Huong Thuy (she/her)
Ha Noi Department of Culture and Sports
Bui Thi Huong Thuy is the Deputy Head of Cultural Heritage Management at the Ha Noi Department of Culture and Sports, a local government agency responsible for city-level cultural activity and events.  Her role is focused on the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, tangible and intangible.  Ha Noi is an ancient city, over 1000 years old, and its Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is a UNESCO world heritage site.  Ha Noi is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network in design, with an annual design festival.  The 2023 edition, held in a former train factory, involved more than 120 young creative professionals and attracted over 200,000 visitors. 

Pilot Visit: This strand now takes the form of a short pilot visit by Ulricha Johnson from Scensverige to scope out the potential for a wider Nordics delegation in future years.  Ulricha will join a mapping session with Scotland-based and Nordics-based artists and arts organisations, as well as developing her understanding of Edinburgh as a festival city, to share with colleagues in Sweden and the other Nordic countries.  There is no open networking event for this strand, but if you are interested in connecting please do get in touch.

Ulricha Johnson (she/her)
Scensverige: Swedish Performing Arts Coalition
Ulricha is the CEO of Scensverige, the Swedish centre of the International Theatre Institute.  Scensverige is a federation of all professional institutions and independent organisations in the performing arts in Sweden, as well as unions, employers and universities.  It initiated the ITI’s global Proud Performing Arts LGBTQIA+ Network and is an active member of its Action Committee for Artists Rights.  Scensverige works to promote international collaborations and develop the art form.  Its projects include Sweden’s largest performing arts festival, the Swedish Performing Arts Biennale; a showcase of Swedish work, Swedstage and the Proud Performing Arts festivals.

Third year working with Momentum.

Watch the delegates' video introductions here.

Register to attend the networking event (Monday 12th, 11am).

Jung Yun CHO (he/him)
Busan Cultural Foundation
Jung Yun CHO is the executive director of cultural affairs at the Busan Cultural Foundation, managing the Cultural Sharing, Arts Education, and Cultural Heritage teams.  Established in 2009, the Busan Cultural Foundation is a major arts funder, supporting cultural practitioners with grant funding, across performing and visual arts.   

Jung Yun has a Ph.D. in arts management and cultural policy and an extensive career in the  public arts and cultural sector in Korea, including roles at the Mapo Cultural Foundation in Seoul, as an arts advisor in Goyang City and as the Busan Mayor's Cultural Policy Advisor.  

Su-yeon CHO (she/her)
Busan Cultural Foundation
Su-yeon works as part of the Culture Education Team, where she is in charge of research and programme development for education support projects.  She is passionate about the value of arts education and international connections.

Kyung-min KIM (he/him)
Busan Cultural Foundation
Kyung-min KIM joined the Busan Cultural Foundation last year, working first in the education team and now in the Culture Sharing team.  His role includes managing the Cultural Diversity project, which aims to build understanding and collaborative working around cultural diversity through a programme of conferences and seminars.  In May the Foundation hosted the Busan Cultural Conference with a focus on cultural diversity and inclusion, and is planning a further international conference on creative aging for September of this year.

Minjin HONG (she/her)
Theatre company SAN
Minjin is the producer for theatre company SAN.  Under the motto, ‘Plays should be fun,’ SAN aims to create accessible, enjoyable theatre which does not rely on spoken language.  Their productions use dance, music and video as well as text.  They are presenting ARI as part of this year’s Korean season at the Fringe.

Second year working with Momentum.

Delegate video introductions to follow.

Abdullah Al Kafri (he/him)
Mina: Artistic Ports and Passages, Syria/Lebanon
Abdullah Al Kafri is a founding member and executive director of Ettijahat.  Ettijahat's mission is to support Syrian artists and cultural practitioners and their colleagues across the Arab region and Europe.  MINA: Artistic Ports and Passages aims to celebrate the work of Syrian artists in Syria and neighbouring countries. It includes theatrical, cinematic, visual and musical projects that have received support from Ettijahat’s Laboratory of Arts programme.  Abdullah Al Kafri is a playwright and theatre director who has worked with many leading cultural organisations in Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen and Belgium as well as arts organisations such as LIFT (UK), the Royal Court Theatre (UK), IEVP (Norway) and Lark (USA).  He is a regular contributor to the Sundance Institute’s MENA Theatre Lab, and a member of the steering committee of the 7th World Summit on Arts and Culture.

Rita Akroush (she/her)
Al Balad Theater, Jordan
Rita Suheil Akroush is a playwright, director and cultural manager from Jordan. She earned a Master of Arts in Dramaturgy and Writing for Performance from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from New York University Abu Dhabi. In the last few years she has worked in Jordan by writing and directing productions that engage closely with her community, including children’s theatre and participatory theatre projects.  Rita is part of a dynamic team at Al Balad Theater working on multiple festivals; Hakaya Storytelling Festival, Baladk Street and Urban Arts Festival and Al Balad Music Festival.

Omar Abi Azar (he/him)
Zoukak Sidewalks Festival, Lebanon
Omar Abi Azar is Artistic Director of Zoukak Sidewalks Festival.  He is a distinguished theatre director and founder member of the company, who has directed many productions for Zoukak and other organisations, reaching audiences across the Middle East, Europe, the United States, South America, South Asia, and Africa.  Through a program of artist talks, workshops, and performances spread across the year, Zoukak Sidewalks aims to stimulate debate around performance practices.  The festival is a platform for artistic exchange and intercultural reflection, held every two years in Zoukak Studio and various venues in Beirut. It brings together international and local artists and practitioners from various disciplines through theatre, music, dance performances, film screenings, public conversations, masterclasses, and presentations of works in progress. 

Emile Saba (he/him)
Ashtar Theatre, Palestine
Emile Saba is a director, actor, and the new artistic director of ASHTAR Theatre. ASHTAR’s work is structured around three artistic pillars: youth theatre, social theatre, and professional theatre, specialising in Theatre of the Oppressed methodology.  It aims to promote creativity and commitment for change through a distinctive combination of professional theatre performances and acting and other training programmes. Saba graduated from the University of Connecticut with an MFA in stage performance and after his return to Palestine, he worked on several Palestinian and international productions as an actor and director. Saba’s most recent production, Guernica Gaza: Visions from the Centre of the Earth, written by Naomi Wallace and Ismail Khalidi, premiered in Ramallah on 13 July 2024, and was later performed at the Uncaging Our World International Youth Theatre Festival in Oxford, UK.

Taoufiq Izeddiou (he/him)
Marrakech Contemporary Dance Festival, Morocco
Taoufiq Izeddiou created Morocco’s first international contemporary dance festival in 2005.  The festival, held annually for a week in March, takes place in public spaces and iconic cultural venues across the city. Under the artistic direction of Taoufiq Izeddiou, live performances, screenings, debates, and performances animate Marrakech.  The festival provides a broad panorama of the Moroccan and international choreographic scene, fostering spaces for creation, dialogue, and encounters essential for both artists and the public.  Taoufiq Izeddiou is a choreographer who also established Morocco’s first contemporary dance company, and first contemporary dance training programme.  His choreographic works have been shown around the world and he was recognised as a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2019.

Pilot delegation.

Watch the delegates' video introductions here.

Register to attend the networking event (Tuesday 13th, 2pm).

Yesim Gürer Oymak (she/her)
Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts
Yesim Gürer Oymak is the Deputy Director General of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV). She joined IKSV in 2006 as the Director of the Istanbul Music Festival, a position she held for 12 years until 2018. She is also the Co-Director of International Leyla Gencer Voice Competition. She worked as a faculty member and Associate Professor at Istanbul University State Conservatory, chaired the Department of Musicology and served as a member of the executive board of Ottoman Music Research Centre - OMAR. Yesim was made Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the Ministry of Culture of France in 2019 and received a Bene Merito honorary distinction from the Ministry of International Affairs of Poland in 2014 for her work to strengthen cultural relations between Turkey and Poland.

Nilüfer Sasmazer (she/her)
Arter, Istanbul
Nilüfer Sasmazer joined Arter’s curatorial team in February 2024, after she curated Nuri Kuzucan’s solo exhibition 'Passage', which was at Arter between June 2023 and February 2024. Arter is a cultural hub which supports contemporary artistic practice and practitioners, through exhibitions, events, education work and publications. Nilüfer previously worked as an arts writer and curator. Her essays have been published in various printed and online publications as well as in exhibition catalogues. She has served as a jury member for several artistic programmes, such as SaDe Artist Support Fund managed by IKSV, Berlin Senate Artist Programme and Base Istanbul. Nilüfer was part of the founding phase of Yankose, an open-air non-profit art platform, and coordinated the exhibitions hosted there between 2017–2019.

Buse Yildirim (she/her)
Beykoz Kundura, Istanbul
S. Buse Yildirim is managing artistic director of Kundura Cinema & Stage at Beykoz Kundura. Beykoz Kundura is a former factory site, which is now a cultural centre focussed on screen, stage and industrial heritage. Buse curates the creative programme and develops cultural policy. She also directs her own films and video works, which have been screened at various festivals such as RAI Film Festival, Göttingen International Ethnographic Film Festival, Ethnofest Athens and in several art galleries.

Third year working with Momentum.

Watch the delegates' video introductions here.

Register to attend the networking event (Tuesday 20th, 11am).

Juan Ramón Ayala Méndez (he/him)
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Juan is the programming director of cultural affairs at UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. UNAM is one of the most prestigious universities in Mexico and one of the biggest public universities in Latin America, with campuses across the country. Juan programmes two festivals: the Aleph Arts & Science Festival and Cultural UNAM festival, a three week festival spanning the best UNAM productions in theatre, dance, opera, literature and film. He has more than 20 years of experience as a producer and director and aims to actively focus on creating artistic and cultural experiences from a sharp and critical perspective on contemporary society.

Lorena María Azcona Chávez (she/her)
ATLAS México Festival, Guanajuato
Lorena is the executive producer of ATLAS México Festival, a biennial dance festival which features a programme of professional training alongside contemporary dance performance. From 2022-24 she was Director of Festivals in the Culture Secretary of San Luis Potosí, where she led Lila López International Contemporary Dance Festival and Xantolo, a festival of the traditional cultural practices associated with the celebration of the Day of the Dead in the region of Huasteca Potosina.

Kelda María Rivera García (she/her)
Autonomous University of Baja California
Kelda is Head of the Department of Cultural Action and Intervention at the General Coordination of Extension of Culture and Promotion of Science at the Autonomous University of Baja California. She coordinates activities and festivals across various artistic disciplines, as well as organizing events aimed to promote science and culture. Previously, she spent 13 years programming performing arts at the State Centre for the Arts (CEART), in Ensenada, including the international contemporary dance festival Espuma Cuántica.  Since 2014, Kelda has been a faculty member at the School of Arts, teaching Cultural Management.

Second year working with Momentum.

Watch the delegates' video introductions here.

Register to attend the networking event (Thursday 22nd, 2pm).

Olga Drygas (she/her)
Nowy Teatr, Warsaw
Olga is head of the Program Cooperation Department at Nowy Teatr, where she curates the New Europe International Festival and the Generation After Showcase.  She was also a member of the jury of the pilot edition of Perform Europe, and a board member and project coach for the European residency program Future Laboratory.  As a dramaturge, Olga has collaborated with Gosia Wdowik, Magda Szpecht, and Agnieszka Polska. She lectures at the Laboratory of New Theater Practices and Cultural Studies at SWPS University of Humanities in Warsaw.

Anna Pawlowska (she/her)
ZAMEK Culture Centre, Poznan
Anna is responsible for the theatre programme at ZAMEK Culture Centre.  ZAMEK is a multidisciplinary arts centre, one of the largest in Poland, hosting around 2,500 events every year, across visual arts, theatre, film, music, education and literature.  Since 2016, ZAMEK's theatre program has focused on rejecting norms, breaking down stereotypes, celebrating inclusiveness and avoiding exclusion - renegotiating the socially established understanding of normativity on stage. The venue is home to three theatre ensembles composed of artists with disabilities and also presents international performances by disabled-led collectives and companies. 

Karol Suszczynski (he/him)
Groteska Theatre, Kraków
Karol took up his role as managing director of the Groteska Theatre in September 2023. The Groteska presents puppet productions for young audiences and for adults, both in traditional puppet theatre and across wider visual and object theatre of form.

Karol is the president of the Bialystok Puppeteers Association, and a member of the Polish Theatre Research Society and POLUNIMA (the Polish branch of the Union International de la Marionette). He is a published writer and lectures at the Puppet Theatre Art Department in Bialystok, conducting classes devoted to the Puppet Theatre in the World, Theory of Puppet Theatre and Raising Funds for Cultural Activities.

The Literature delegation will be hosted by the Edinburgh International Book Festival in collaboration with the Momentum partners.

Delegates are from Turkey, Palestine, Poland, Kenya, Mexico, China and Brazil. Profiles to follow.

The Visual Arts delegation will be hosted by the Edinburgh Art Festival in collaboration with the Momentum partners and SCAN.

Delegates are from Poland, China, Lebanon and Kenya. Profiles to follow.

British Council Scotland is committed to maintaining and growing Scotland's international connections and contribution across the arts, education and society sectors. We are part of the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. They enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life.

Festivals Edinburgh is a strategic umbrella organisation focused on over-arching areas of mutual interest. Its sole focus is to maintain and develop the value of the Festivals’ and the Festival City’s leading position locally and globally, via major collaborative projects and strategic initiatives.