DINA NTZIORA
CULTURAL PROJECT MANAGER - CREATIVE PRODUCER
ABOUT ME
Engagement Manager and Researcher. Specialising in fostering inclusive and collaborative practices. Dedicated activist and producer, with a keen focus on promoting inclusion, wellbeing, and ethical principles.
Hello, I'm Dina (short for Konstantina). As a Cultural Manager and Community Engagement Expert, I bring extensive experience in cultural management, creative community engagement, audience development, and event production, administration, and planning. My passion lies in leveraging public spaces within cities to rejuvenate neighborhoods and communities through community-driven, inclusive projects. I am a fervent advocate for the pivotal role of the arts and cultural institutions in fostering cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. I strive to identify and address systemic barriers that prevent underprivileged and marginalised groups from participating in the arts.
I am dedicated to advancing creative place-making, community building, and the development of public spaces that enhance health, happiness, and well-being. My mission involves investing in the assets, inspiration, and potential of the local creative community. Through socially engaged cultural management, I strive to address the needs of underserved communities, fostering inclusivity and empowerment. My goal is to inspire individuals to collaboratively reimagine and reinvent public spaces, positioning them as the vibrant heart of every community.
I am well-versed in curating both physical and digital environments for artists and creatives to exhibit their work. I have successfully built international cultural networks that consistently unite artists and cultural professionals, fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and support for the cultural sector. My motivation lies in actively engaging with people, places, architecture, temporality, and transformation to craft resilient spaces conducive to participation, diversity, and experimentation.
I am a member of Placemaking Europe, a network that connects practitioners, academics, community leaders, market actors, and policymakers across Europe. This network aims to advance the fields of placemaking, public space, social life, human scale, and city development at the community level.
Since 2002, I have lived and worked in Bristol, UK, actively participating in community arts and arts management. This includes a tenure with the Bristol City Council Arts and Events team from 2007 to 2011 and serving as the Company Manager for Artspace Lifespace since 2012. In 2017, I returned to my hometown of Athens to join the British Council, Cultural Skills Unit, and Arts team. During my time there, I led the Transforming Future Museums program, focusing on enhancing the impact, resilience, and sustainability of museums in Greece.
One of my most impactful ventures involved co-curating the poignant Refugee Week Greece festival in collaboration with Counterpoints Arts. This festival stood as a dynamic platform, specifically emphasizing socially engaged arts and promoting the talents of artists from the diaspora. It became a vibrant space where artists from diverse backgrounds convened to celebrate the richness of their cultures. In this creative sanctuary, shaped by lived displacement experiences, we witnessed a flourishing of artistic exploration that nurtured a profound sense of unity, resilience, and hope within the community. The transformative power of art was evident as it transcended barriers and constructed bridges between individuals from various backgrounds, underscoring the arts' role as a catalyst for positive change.
Throughout my professional journey, I've been at the forefront of orchestrating and executing impactful community events, placing a particular emphasis on creatively repurposing vacant buildings and land for the benefit of both artists and underserved communities. My endeavors align with the principles of addressing gentrification and community revitalization. By transforming neglected spaces into vibrant hubs, I strive to inject life into areas that have long been abandoned, contributing to the renewal and pride of local communities.
I've also played a pivotal role in establishing creative artist-led spaces, such as The Island, which breathed new life into a once derelict central Bristol police station, and a Dance Performance Centre, reviving a previously abandoned Victorian swimming bath, Jacobs Wells Baths.
These ventures not only address the challenges of gentrification but also embody the principles of community revitalization. By fostering a sense of pride and belonging, these transformed spaces become vibrant cultural hubs. Moreover, the infusion of artistic expression brings about cultural enrichment, with artists contributing to the diverse tapestry of the community. This dual approach aims to not only repurpose physical spaces but also cultivate a thriving and inclusive environment that celebrates the unique identity of each community involved.
I hold an MA in Development, Administration, and Planning from Bristol University, as well as a degree in International and European Economics and Politics from Athens University of Economics and Business.
My latest research project has been on Care: economies of happiness and how Co-creation in the arts has the potential to play a significant role in fostering community cohesion, collective care, and social justice. And Libraries on Prescription, a pioneering social prescribing programme in Greece, a collaborative endeavor spanning libraries, health professionals, and cultural activities, all geared towards enhancing mental health and well-being through cultural engagement.