We work in a global context where civic spaces are shrinking and cultural maps are changing at a pace that surpasses our steps. Yet, we learn every day to preserve the essence of our mission through independent decision-making, grounded in our belief in the universal principles of human rights, in ethics and responsibility, and in practical solidarity that makes art a bridge, not a barrier. We seek to build a collective awareness capable of driving change—starting from the neighborhood, the school, and the theatre, and extending to public space, the city, the nation, and the world.

This organization was born from a fundamental question: how can we transform art from a passing activity into a civic structure that contributes to improving quality of life? Over the years, we have discovered that the answer does not lie in a single artistic activity, but in building a dynamic system and a balanced ecosystem where collective responsibility is integrated with the protection of individual rights, and where local knowledge meets global dialogue. For this reason, we expanded our concept of art to include public space, and our concept of the audience to become a partner, a producer, and an active citizen. When we teach a young child a movement, we are at the same time teaching them to trust their body and their voice, and to defend their place in the world without fear.

We believe that culture is a public good, not a privilege for certain groups. And when we call for culture to be placed at the heart of public policy, it is because we want a new measure of progress—one that puts human beings, with their dignity, diversity, and multiplicity of stories, at the center. A city that teaches its children music, dance, and theatre, and opens its spaces to imagination, is a city closer to justice, more capable of confronting violence and inequality, and better able to build peace.

From our awareness of the fragility of the cultural landscape when art is reduced and detached from its social role, we chose to build our institution on three fundamental pillars:

• Imagination – cultivating the radical capacity to envision the world otherwise.
• Openness – fostering dialogue, diversity, and shared ownership of cultural life.
• Learning – ensuring reflection, accountability, and continuous growth from practice.

We do not stop at declaring what we believe in; we hold ourselves accountable for what we achieve. We plan with clear goals, measure the impact of our programs on people and places, and review our assumptions whenever necessary. We acknowledge our mistakes with courage and strive to correct them. We manage our resources with transparency, learn from our partners and beneficiaries, and in turn share the knowledge we have gained on the ground.

We are descendants of the South, of the Global South, yet at the same time we belong to this shared world. We listen carefully to the history of place and the memory of people. We resist centralization that erases identities, and we build an alternative based on exchange, reciprocity, and self-respect. When we dance on our land, we speak to the world in its deepest language: the body’s quest for freedom. And when we welcome the world into our spaces and through our works, we remind it that the margin is the center.

Our friends, partners, and companions on this journey: our shared vision is that people live in dignity, and that culture becomes a fundamental pillar in our societies. We will continue investing in children and youth, in women, in artists, teachers, and researchers, in artisans, activists, across neighborhoods, villages, and cities. We will design our programs so that identity, imagination, safety, and growth meet. And we will continue building alliances with schools, municipalities, universities, civil society organizations, international institutions, and with every individual and collective that believes culture is not an addition, but an essential condition for development and for living together.

From my experience and my responsibility, I know the path is not easy. We will face doubts, slow procedures, limited resources, and high expectations. But we have what is more precious than all of that: the trust of people, a team that works with conscience, believes in art and its role in change, and grows through critique, openness, and learning, and partners who lay with us the foundation stones to see our dreams realized on the ground.

Thus, we protect our independence, expand our impact, and keep the doors open to everyone who seeks a second chance at the meaning of life.