I am Violeta Simjanovska —and my professional background bridges academia, public policy, the private sector, and civil society, with over 25 years of experience in cultural management, cultural policy reform, strategic management, cultural and creative industries, education, research, and grassroots cultural initiatives.

My professional journey began in an entirely different field — as an electrical engineer. However, my passion for the arts soon led me into cultural practice, where I started as a manager of a music festival in the late 1990s. This hands-on experience opened the path to my next transformation: becoming the Executive Director of PAC Multimedia, one of the most influential cultural NGOs in North Macedonia and in the Balkans. There, I led over 100 projects spanning cultural participation, production, creative entrepreneurship, intercultural dialogue, and civic education.

Later in my career, I served as the Regional Coordinator for the European Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam and led the Performing Arts Programme at the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia. This leadership experience laid the foundation for my transition into academia, where I continue to grow as a researcher, lecturer, and professor. 

Currently, I serve as Head of the Arts Management Department and Lecturer at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki. I also hold the academic titles of Docent and Associate Professor, awarded by the University Eurobalkan in North Macedonia.I regularly lecture and act as a Visiting Professor at institutions including the University of Arts in Belgrade, Goldsmiths, University of London, Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic), the University of Jyväskylä and Tampere University (Finland), as well as several other institutions across Europe.

I have led and coordinated over 25 major international resaerch projects in cultural development, education, creative industries, and policy reform. As a senior expert in cultural policy, arts management, strategic management and cultural and creative industries, I have collaborated with ministries of culture, municipalities, cities, and international organizations including the European Commission, UNESCO, British Council, and Swiss Cultural Programme on strategy development, evaluation, and institutional capacity-building. My consultancy and teaching work span Europe (including the Western Balkans), Africa, the US, and Australia.

I am a strategic thinker, problem-solver, adaptive, flexible, and multitasking professional with a future-oriented mindset. Having lived and worked in many different countries and cultural contexts, I have developed deep intercultural competence and a strong sensitivity to diversity. I strongly believe in creative solutions, the meaningful use of technology and AI, and in the arts as essential tools for sustainability, inclusive societies and peacebuilding.