Small Countries Network:

Assitej Cyprus

Assitej Iceland

Assitej Liechtenstein

Assitej Luxembourg

Assitej San Marino

Drama Studio Empty Space (Montenegro)

Kiki Argyrou is a graduate of the Theatre Department of the School of Fine Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds a master's degree in Theatre Studies from the Paris 3-Sorbonne Nouvelle University. Since 2017, she has been working as a theater expert at the Cyprus Theater Organization. As a member of the NGO TheatrEtc, she has created and performed applied theater workshops for various age groups, both in the context of European programmes and educational activities in Cyprus. She has also collaborated with the Cyprus Centre of the International Theater Institute and the Cyprus Centre of Set Designers, Architects and Theatre Technicians for the research and editing of theatrical studies for the Cypriot theatre. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Theater Museum and the Secretary of the Board of ASSITEJ Cyprus.

Marija Backovic Psychologist, drama pedagogue and producer and director of drama studio Empty Space. She uses drama technique to work with children and young people to enhance their psycho-somatic development. She is a programmer at the Kotor Festival of Theater for Children and has been a producer in the independent theater and numerous international projects for young people. Done artistic residencies for young people in order to combat nationalism, separatism and chauvinism. Engaged in projects with blind and partially sighted people, LGBT community, Roma community, young people with behavioral problems, prisoners, juvenile delinquents etc. The founder of a platform for the development and affirmation of theater for young audiences From the First step, which operates in the Balkan countries. Does training for professional educational staff. She dedicates her work to the development of culture in Montenegro, to the development of the independent theater scene with special emphasis on PYA.

Jean Bermes studied singing and conducting in Salzburg and Amsterdam, later completing a post-graduate opera program in Ghent. As a singer and conductor he has performed on 5 continents. Bermes is deeply committed to creating music-theater for young audiences, working with companies across Europe. He is also co-founder of the company Kopla Bunz, which specializes in interdisciplinary music-theater productions. He regularly teaches in Germany and Luxembourg. Since 2022, he serves as president of ASSITEJ Luxembourg.

Georg Biedermann Primaryteacher, further training in the field of theater education, professionalchildren's and youth theater, art education and cultural education. Theater projects with children and young people in Liechtenstein. Artistic director of children's and youth theater at the TAK Theater Liechtenstein (1992 - 2021). Head of further training in the field of theater and education.

Aleksandra Di Capua is an artistic director, director, dramaturg, choreographer, dancer and actress, based in the Republic of San Marino. She has a Master’s Degree in Drama, Art and Music Studies (DAMS-University of Bologna) and she is a graduate teacher of Modern Dance (BC002-Academic Dances). She is co-founder of the School of Theatre and Creative Dance Bradipoteatar, which she directs and where she teaches theatre and modern dance since 2007, and of the Bradipoteatar Theatre Company, with which she produces plays since 1997 as actress, dramaturg and director, participating in many international festivals. In 2007, her contribution to the Sammarinese theatrical reality became even more essential with the foundation of the Bradipoteatar School of Theatre and Creative Dance, where she has been teaching theatre and modern dance to children and young people ever since, making them passionate about these noble arts and raising, thus, the new generation of theatremakers from San Marino. Moreover, in recent years, she has also been successfully developing an innovative method for using the expressive tools of theatre and creativity with children and young people with disabilities and learning disorders.

After earning a Master’s degree in Human and Social Interaction Sciences, specializing in Cultural Expertise and Mediation, Angélique D'Onghia held the position of Executive Officer at MASKéNADA, where she supported artists in their creative work. She then joined Rotondes as a production manager for the performing arts department, deepening her knowledge of the performing arts for young audiences. In 2022, Angélique joined Services for Creatives as Senior Project Manager in Cultural Engineering, where she applied her expertise in cultural project management. Since 2010, she has been actively involved in the Marionettefestival, an international festival of contemporary puppetry and object theatre for family audiences, which she currently coordinates and artistically directs. Since 1st of July 2024, Angelique has joined ASSITEJ Luxembourg as Executive Director.

Stavros Stavrou is a writer, cultural manager, producer and President of ASSITEJ Cyprus. He holds a BA degree in Greek Literature, as well as an MA degree in Cultural and Creative Industries, both from King’s College London. As a lyrics-writer, he has extensively worked in the Greek music industry. He has worked in the theatre industry as writer and producer, collaborating with the National Theatres of Greece and Cyprus, as well as many other companies. He has also worked in the field of TYA as a producer shows touring internationally. He is the President of the Association for People with Mental Disability and member of the Cyprus Centre of the ITI. Apart from being the founder and President of ASSITEJ Cyprus, he is active in the Small Countries Network, while he recently became an IIAN Board member. In 2024 he was elected a member of the ASSITEJ International Executive Committee.

After earning a degree in English Literature and Cultural Management from University of Iceland and a Masters degree in Directing from Lithuania Larus Vilhjalmsson has worked in the theater field as an director in productions in Iceland for adults and children, written plays and worked as a managing Director in cultural institutions such as The American Cultural Center and The Living Arts Museum. He established his own theater company in 2010 focused on works for children and joined the board of ASSITEJ Iceland at the same time and has been there ever since as treasurer, president and executive manager. Larus is also the chairman of “The Theatre Heritage Society in Iceland and since 2022 been a deputy member of Iceland Parliament.

Gabriele Villbrandt has been working in the cultural sector since the age of 20 and worked as a press officer at the Rotehorn Cultural Park in Magdeburg At the Mummpitz theatre in Nuremberg. she was head of artistic operations ,and gained experience in dramaturgy and assistant directing. She worked as a curator for the Panoptikum festival. She has been involved in the organisation and implementation of specialist events and festivals in Nuremberg and Liechtenstein, where she has been working in the TAK's Theatre for Young Audiences.. In the 2021/22 season, she took over the management of the children's and youth theatre. She was a jury member at the ‘offspring.contest’ of the Szene-Bunte-Wähne dance festival in Vienna and at the STELLA17.DarstellenderKunst.Preis für junges Publikum in Salzburg and received the ASSITEJ Germany organiser award together with Georg Biedermann.