4201
The Pakiv Board is the highest organ of ERIAC. The Board oversees the work of ERIAC, safeguards its values and approves the financial and activity plans.
The members of the Pakiv Board are nominated by ERIAC’s founders: the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (one member), the Open Society Institute (one member) and the Alliance pour l’Institut Rom Européenne pour les Arts et la Culture (one member). Further two members have been nominated by the Barvalipe Academy on their first meeting.
Members of the Pakiv Board Zeljko Jovanovic is the director of the Open Society Roma Initiatives Office, which supports the voices and leadership of Roma in making their power felt in the policy-making arena. Jovanovic comes from a family of Roma ethnic background which, through a belief in hard work, self-determination, and education, moved from multi-generational extreme poverty to the middle class in Serbia. Before joining the Open Society Foundations in 2006, he worked for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on elections and public policy and for Catholic Relief Services on civil society development. He also has established and led a local Roma organisation and community radio programming, as well as volunteered for Roma political parties and protested for democracy during the Milosevic regime in Serbia. He has also trained and mentored non-profit managers, advocates, and leaders internationally. Jovanovic has degrees in law from the University of Belgrade and in public policy from the University of Oxford. He also completed the Executive Education Program on Strategic Management at Harvard University. He is a member of the Aspen Institute network. Sead Kazanxhiu is a visual artist from southwest Albania. He was trained as a painter at the University of Arts in Tirana (2006 – 2010), where he obtained his bachelor’s degree. Kazanxhiu comes from a family of Roma ethnic minority. This fact has profoundly shaped his childhood years in Baltez, a village nearby Fier, where he was raised in an environment sensitive to social and cultural inequalities. In a community well aware of hierarchical structures and un-privileged positions within a nation-state, the very condition of being an Albanian Roma citizen turned out to be a determining factor for Kazanxhiu’s status of an artist as well as for his overall cultural practice so far. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the issues of prejudice, exclusion, discrimination, and racism have taken center stage both in his artistic and activist work. His uncompromising position with regard to unfair treatment of Roma ethnic group presents but a platform to voice individual dissent about the racially biased dynamics that, unfortunately, continues to shape contemporary European worldviews – on a daily basis, inside and outside of official political arenas. In this sense, his image-making contributes to positive efforts of a single artist to restore the dignity of a community forcefully and unjustly cornered at the outskirts of European democracy. Kazanxhiu is also the founder of STHAN Cultural Centre, and currently, he is following the Albanian School of Political Studies. Gilda-Nancy Horvath is an artist, journalist, project manager, and communications consultant. She started her career in grassroots projects for the Romani community in Vienna, Austria. Soon after, she started working for the Austrian Public National Broadcaster ORF. She has also written numerous articles for the Romani cause and worked with many international projects connected to Romani activism, art, and politics. After 10 years in front of and behind the camera at ORF, she started educating and qualifying young Romani people in her project: “romblog.at,” where she is the Editor-In-Chief. She is also the co-founder of a record label for Romani music, fatherandbastards.com. Since 2013, she is a member of the Romani Dialogue Platform of the Federal Chancellery of Austria, consulting and discussing the implementation of #RomaStrategy2020. Nancy Black is the artist alter ego of Gilda Horvath and produced her first song in December 2016, after being threatened by people who had spread false information about Roma in the media; they claimed that all Roma in Austria would give their support to the far-right candidate at the Presidential Elections in Austria on 04 December 2016. Horvath protested against this kind of manipulation and became a target of hate speech and defamation after that. Her rasping “Trushula” was a clear answer; this was the day Nancy Black was born. Nancy Black also produces video mixes, video installations, and digital/visual art and writing texts and poetry with a strong connection to the language Romanes and the situation of Romani people. . Dr. Ismael Cortés-Gómez is a political philosopher who holds a double academic position as a part-time lecturer at the Unesco Chair of Philosophy (Universitat Jaume I de Castelló) and as a visiting researcher at the Institute DEMOS Paz (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid). He holds a PhD in International Studies of Peace, Conflicts and Development by the UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace at Universitat Jaume I. He has been a researcher at the University of Nottingham, the International University of Andalusia, and the Carlos III University. He has been an expert consultant in the OSCE – ODHIR project “Turning words into action. Combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance (2015-2018)”. He has worked as a policy analyst for think tanks such as the Center for European Policy Studies and the Open Society European Policy Institute. He was a post-doctoral fellow of the Roma Studies Program at Central European University. He coordinated the book Dimensions of Antigypsyism in Europe. Currently, he serves as an MP in the Spanish Parliament. Dr. Cortes also authored several articles in scientific journals and international newspapers. His research interest focuses on the interrelation among law-culture-politics, by analyzing how ideologies constitute institutional norms, policy frames, and action programs. Dr. Cortés-Gómez has worked as a policy analyst for Open Society Foundations from 2016 to 2018, both with the Budapest and the Brussels office; he also collaborates as an associate researcher with the Brussels-based think tank Centre for European Policy Studies. He has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals and op-eds with newspapers such as Huffington Post, Le Monde Diplomatique, Euractiv, and El País. His work is deeply engaged with the criticism of new forms of racism and ethnonationalism in the European Union. Mr. Bjørn Berge serves as the Council of Europe’s Deputy Secretary General since 1 March 2021.As the Deputy Secretary General he is involved in a number of key areas of the work of the Organisation, including advising and overseeing the implementation of the Secretary General’s reform agenda, in line with the decisions and priorities of the Committee of Ministers. His priorities include shaping the Programme and Budget, while ensuring that the Organisation’s activities have maximum impact in advancing democracy, human rights and the rule of law. He also oversees the Council of Europe’s staff policy, as well as other key areas of the work of the Organisation. Before taking up his post, Mr. Berge was for a period of four years Director General and Secretary to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Between 2009-2017, he served as Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General, helping to prepare, co-ordinate and implement a number of comprehensive reforms of the Organisation. Mr. Berge has over thirty years of international professional experience. As a former Norwegian diplomat, he served as International Adviser to the Prime Minister and as Deputy Director of the Foreign Minister’s Cabinet responsible for all matters related to Parliament. He also served as speechwriter to three Norwegian Foreign Ministers. Mr. Berge has published several books on a range of issues relating to speech writing and speeches, as well as articles on the Council of Europe’s mandate and work. He was a Fulbright Scholar and holds a M.A. in International Relations from the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C., USA.
Zeljko Jovanovic
Chair of the Board
Sead Kazanxhiu
Deputy Chair of the Board
Gilda-Nancy Horvath
Member of the Board
Dr. Ismael Cortés-Gómez
Member of the Board
Bjørn Berge
Member of the Board
I Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
II Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged report
III Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
IV Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
V Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
VI Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
VII Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
VIII Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
IX Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
X Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
XI Board Meeting_ERIAC_ Abridged Report
XII Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
XIII Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
XV Board Meeting_ERIAC_Abridged Report
The Barvalipe Academy is the agenda-setting and strategic body of the Institute which has an advisory and inspirational role, in order to fulfill ERIAC’s objectives.
Barvalipe is composed of 15 members – highly regarded, publicly acknowledged individuals, with competencies in the areas covered by ERIAC activities. Two thirds of the Academy members must openly declare their Romani ethnicity, respecting the diversity among the Romani communities. Gender balance must be ensured.
The first 7 members of the Barvalipe Academy are nominated by ERIAC’s Board “Pakiv”. The remaining 8 members of the Baravlipe Academy are elected by the members through the thematic sections. Each section delegates two representatives to Barvalipe.
Two members of Barvalipe Academy, elected internally, are delegated to the “Pakiv” Board and become a bridge which connects the ERIAC’s associate membership with the Board.
Members of the Barvalipe Academy
Bajsa Arifovska, born in 1978 in Kočani, Macedonia, is a renowned multi-instrumentalist and professor of traditional Macedonian instruments. She studied at the Skopje Music Academy and began her professional career with the Dragan Dautovski Quartet, touring internationally and mastering instruments like the kaval, gajda, tambura, and tapan. Bajsa has actively promoted Macedonian and Roma folk music, arranging and conducting the Mandolin Orchestra at the Darhia Roma Cultural Center since 2003 to 2009. She has taught at the Ilija Nikolovski-Luj State Musical High School since 2000 to 2013. Currently she is working in the National Ensemble for Folk Dances and songs – “Tanec” in Skopje, where continue her professional work with composing, arranging and performing. Her work blends Macedonian folk traditions with modern world music influences. She has recorded multiple albums and composed music for the ballet “Broken Dream.” Bajsa continues to perform, teach, and inspire new generations of musicians, making her one of Macedonia’s most respected and versatile musicians.
Isaac Blake is a Romany dancer, choreographer, and cultural advocate dedicated to promoting Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) arts, culture, and representation. He trained at the LABAN Dance Centre (London) and the Martha Graham School (New York), later working in Montreal and across the UK as a choreographer for institutions such as the Wales Millennium Centre and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where he continues to teach.
As the Executive Director of the Romani Cultural & Arts Company (RCAC) in Cardiff, UK, Isaac has played a key role in developing and delivering cultural, educational, and advocacy programs for GRT communities. Under his leadership, RCAC has expanded from a voluntary group to a major NGO, working on site-based arts projects, policy development, and cultural preservation across Wales and the UK.
Isaac has also led significant international initiatives, including serving as Dance Curator for RomArchive, where he collaborated with researchers to document and showcase Romani dance traditions globally. His commitment to LGBTQI+ GRT rights has been instrumental in amplifying the voices of GRT individuals, advocating for visibility, and producing the first international LGBTQI+ GRT spoken history archive alongside a complementary e-book. His work continues to shape artistic and cultural policy, strengthen representation, and support social change for GRT communities in the UK and beyond.
More info: https://romaniarts.co.uk | https://romarchive.eu
Jake Bowers is a Romani journalist, producer, and filmmaker with over 20 years of experience in media and storytelling. He trained as a journalist with Johnston Press and the BBC before founding Gypsy Media Company Ltd in 2007, an independent production company dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices in mainstream media.
Through Gypsy Media Company Ltd, Jake has produced impactful content for major broadcasters and platforms, specializing in projects that challenge stereotypes and promote diverse narratives. His notable works include the 2020 remake of George Michael’s “Freedom” music video, celebrating LGBTQ+ rights, and Virgin Music’s “Alive” video for Chase and Status, which honored Native American culture. In 2022, he produced a cinematic epic poem as part of ERIAC’s Proud Roma campaign, showcasing Romani resilience and identity.
Beyond filmmaking, Jake is also an artist blacksmith, currently working on a major sculptural project that will see 12 sculptures commemorating Romani and Traveller history and culture placed across the UK. His multidisciplinary approach to storytelling—through journalism, film, and visual arts—continues to contribute to cultural representation and social advocacy.
Dr Raul Cârstocea is Assistant Professor in Twentieth-Century European History at Maynooth University, Ireland. He has previously worked at the University of Leicester, the Europa Universität Flensburg, the European Centre for Minority Issues in Flensburg, Germany, and at University College London. He has held research fellowships at the Vienna Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies, the Institute for East and Southeast European Studies in Regensburg, the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam, King’s College London, and the Imre Kértesz Kolleg Jena. His research interests focus on anti-Semitism, fascism, nationalism, and the Holocaust, and more broadly on state formation and nation-building processes in 19th and 20th century Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and their consequences for minority groups. He is co-editor of the Modern History of Politics and Violence book series at Bloomsbury and Vice-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe at the Council of Europe.
Pierre Chopinaud has been a key Roma activist in France for over a decade, advocating for Roma rights, challenging systemic discrimination, and working to improve living conditions, education, and healthcare for Roma communities. As one of the few voices championing this cause, alongside activists like Samir Mile and Anina Ciuciu, he has played a crucial role in fostering social inclusion and justice.
A writer and political scientist, Pierre has significantly contributed to the promotion of Romani literature in France. Since 2005, his translations of Romani poetry have been featured in major literary reviews. His 2020 novel (Editions POL) and 2021 essay on political activism highlight his commitment to shaping public discourse on Roma issues.
Beyond literature, Pierre has actively worked to preserve Roma history and culture. In 2016, he initiated a remembrance event in Paris St Denis, emphasizing the Roma presence in Europe since 1427. As an organizer with La Voix des Roms, he has been instrumental in promoting Romani Resistance Day (May 16), a key symbol of Roma resilience and pride.
His activism, literary achievements, and leadership in Roma advocacy make him a strong figure in the movement for Roma rights and cultural recognition in France.
Ioanida Costache is a Romani violinist, audio-visual artist, and ethnomusicologist. She is an assistant professor of ethnomusicology and by courtesy, Anthropology at Stanford University, where she also serves as a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. Her scholarly work brings together thinking on race, coloniality, performance, and affect to investigate the inscription of Romani history and subjectivity into Romani sonic and artistic expression, examining how sound structures the political and social belonging of Romani peoples in ways that both reify and challenge processes of identity formation and racialization. Costache’s writing has been published in EuropeNow, RevistaARTA, Critical Romani Studies, and European History Quarterly. Her research has been supported by two Fulbright Grants, the Council of European Studies and visiting and postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the USC Shoah Foundation. Her creative work as a violinist and audio-visual artist has been exhibited in San Francisco, CA, New York City, Bucharest, Romania and at the 2022 Roma Exhibition Collateral Event at the 59th la Biennale di Venezia.
Professor Colin Robert Clark
Professor Colin Robert Clark has worked in UK higher education for more than thirty years. He is currently an Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) and Professor of Sociology and Social Policy in the School of Education and Social Sciences at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). He joined UWS in 2013. Colin earned his PhD in Social Anthropology and Social Policy from the University of Edinburgh in 2001, working with Professor Judith Okely. Previously, Colin has held academic posts at Glasgow (1994-1996), Newcastle (1996-2005), and Strathclyde (2005-2013) Universities. His research is in the fields of Critical Romani Studies and Ethnic and Racial Studies, as well as looking at specific issues of migration, identity, and citizenship.
Colin has researched and published extensively in these related fields, and he has supervised and examined over 100 PhD students in his career. Some of the journals he has published in include Critical Romani Studies, Romani Studies, Social Policy and Society, Scottish Affairs, People, Place and Policy, Radical Statistics, Journal of Social Security Law, Work, Employment and Society, and Journal of Oral History. Previous funders of Colin’s work include Erasmus, British Academy, Scottish Government, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and the Economic and Social Research Council.
Outside of UWS, Colin is a director of the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, and a Trustee of Romano Lav (Roma Voice), both based in Glasgow, Scotland. He is also a member of the Research Advisory Group of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and advises the Scottish Government on Gypsy/Traveller matters, specifically in relation to sites and accommodation. Colin also acts as research advisor to the Traveller Movement and the Advisory Council for the Education of Romanies and Other Travellers, sitting on their respective executive committees.
Dr. Rafael Buhigas Jiménez
Dr. Rafael Buhigas Jiménez was trained at the Complutense University in Spain dedicating all his research stages to Gitano/Romani history and culminating with the first PhD thesis written on this population during Francoism and from renewed approaches such as urban history and decolonial theory, to which is added the novel methodology of Critical Romani Studies being one of the precursors of it in Spain. He has been part of scientific committees, organization of seminars and teaching innovation projects around the world. In turn, he has been speaker and coordinator of workshops in more than a dozen national and international congresses, as well as a regular collaborator in institutions and media disseminating Romani history. He has carried out research stays in Argentina, Mexico, London and the United States, in different prestigious centers such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. An active participant in Roma social movements in Spain, Rafael focuses on Granada, where he lives in a neighbourhood with a significant Roma presence. He aims to use history and the humanities to bridge academic knowledge with municipal policies and community awareness. He is currently coordinating a research project on “The image of Roma in documentary cinema” at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
Israel Galván, born in Sevilla, Spain, is a revolutionary flamenco dancer and choreographer known for redefining the boundaries of flamenco. Coming from a family of flamenco artists, Galván has developed a unique style that blends traditional flamenco with contemporary performance art. His works often incorporate elements from various cultural rituals, including bullfighting and football, creating a multifaceted expression of flamenco. Galván has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Premio Nacional de Danza (Spain) and the Bessie Performance Award (USA). He is also an associated artist at Le Théâtre de la Ville, Paris.
Vera Lacková is a film director and producer from Slovakia, currently based in Vienna, Austria. She is the founder of the production company Media Voice and brings a unique insider perspective to ethnic and political Roma themes through her work. Her debut feature-length documentary, How I Became a Partisan, explores the forgotten stories of Roma partisans, including her great-grandfather Ján Lacko. The film premiered at the goEast Film Festival in Wiesbaden in 2021, where it received the Federal Foreign Office for Cultural Diversity Award. Lacková has participated in the IDFA Academy and is a member of the European Film Academy. Her upcoming project, Do Magic, supported by ERIAC, delves into Romani folklore and intergenerational trauma from the Romani Holocaust. Scheduled for completion in 2026, the film was presented at the Marché du Film in Cannes. Vera’s work is recognized for its powerful storytelling and advocacy for Roma representation in cinema.
Dr. Dezso Mate is a sociologist with a PhD from Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, and currently a Romani Rose Fellow at Heidelberg University. His interdisciplinary research focuses on antigypsyism and the intersection of identity, culture, and history. Dr. Mate has been involved with various academic institutions across Europe, including Central European University and the University of Sussex. Since 2022, he has served as the Thematic Section Coordinator at the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture, where he continues to contribute to research and knowledge production on Roma issues.
Avni Mustafa is a seasoned human rights advocate, trainer, and expert on Roma inclusion, with over 20 years of experience addressing minority rights and fostering inclusion both in Kosovo and across the European Union. Throughout his career, Avni has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to improving the rights, opportunities, and living conditions of marginalized and minority communities, particularly focusing on Roma inclusion and empowerment.
Since 2017, Avni has been actively involved with the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), contributing to initiatives that promote Roma identity, cultural heritage, and societal inclusion. On a national level in Kosovo, he holds the position of Executive Director at Roma Versitas Kosovo, where he leads strategic programs, capacity-building efforts, and advocacy campaigns that address educational, economic, and social challenges faced by the Roma community.
With his wealth of experience in community development, training facilitation, and policy engagement, Avni has become a recognized figure in the regional and European human rights landscape. His work reflects a deep understanding of minority rights issues and an unwavering dedication to creating sustainable, equitable change for marginalized groups.
Sami Mustafa, a French-Kosovar Roma filmmaker born in Pristina in 1984, is a storyteller of resilience and an advocate for Roma voices in cinema. As the founder of Romawood and the Rolling Film Festival, he has created platforms that amplify Roma narratives and challenge stereotypes. He is also an honorary member of ERIAC and a member of the European Film Academy.
Since 2003, Sami has directed and produced over 50 short documentaries, music videos, and a feature-length film. His 2007 documentary Road to Home was the only Kosovar work showcased at the Cannes Film Festival, marking a milestone for Roma representation. His internationally acclaimed 2015 film Trapped by Law won multiple awards and was screened across Europe.
Beyond filmmaking, Sami is dedicated to preserving Roma heritage. His 2021 book Tales from My Grandparents collects traditional Roma folk stories, inspired by the oral narratives of his childhood. Through the Rolling Film Festival, he has curated over 500 films, produced 50 local works, and engaged thousands in conversations on Roma identity.
Sami’s work bridges past and present, reclaiming Roma history through cinema and literature, ensuring that Roma stories are told by Roma voices.
Born in Skopje, Macedonia, Nedjo Osman began his acting career at the Pralipe Roma Theater before graduating from the Film and Theater Academy in Novi Sad. He performed at the National Theater KPGT in Subotica and Serbian National Theaters in Novi Sad and Belgrade.
During the Balkan war, he moved to Germany, where his performances at Theater Mülheim an der Ruhr earned critical acclaim. He has taken leading roles in numerous productions, receiving awards such as the Golden Laurel Wreath (MESS Sarajevo, 1991) and the Yul Brynner Prize (Berlin, 2003). In 2017, he received the Šaip Jusuf Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to Roma culture.
Since 1996, Osman has worked as a freelance actor and director, co-leading Theater TKO / Choreodrama – Romano Theater in Cologne. He has appeared in over 30 films and TV series in Germany, Macedonia, and Serbia. As a journalist, he produced and moderated Romanes-language programs at Radio Multi-Kulti (2000-2002) and Deutsche Welle (2002-2014).
A poet and translator, Osman’s work captures Roma life, identity, and love. He has also been an active social worker and mediator, promoting Roma culture and theater to challenge stereotypes and foster understanding between Roma and non-Roma communities.
Carol Silverman, Professor Emerita of Cultural Anthropology and Folklore at the University of Oregon, has dedicated over four decades to the study and promotion of Balkan Romani music, culture, and human rights. Through her extensive fieldwork in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, New York, and Western Europe, she explores the intricate connections between music, politics, ritual, and gender within Romani communities. Her scholarly and activist work has made significant contributions to understanding the cultural politics and dynamics of Balkan music in diaspora contexts.
Her landmark publication, Romani Routes: Cultural Politics and Balkan Music in Diaspora (2012, Oxford University Press), which received the Society for Ethnomusicology’s book prize, delves into the complexities of how Romani music operates as both a valued element of global world music markets and a symbol of multicultural identity in cosmopolitan areas. Following this, her book Balkanology (2021, Bloomsbury), analyzes the history, politics, and aesthetics of Bulgarian wedding music. Her recent research examines the social and economic aspects of Romani migration via music in transnational contexts.
Silverman’s extensive publications address critical issues such as the globalization of “Gypsy” music, focusing on its performance, consumption, marketing, and production while critically assessing themes of representation and appropriation. As a committed activist, she collaborates with the US-based NGO Voice of Roma and serves as a curator for Balkan music for the international digital platform RomArchive.eu. Additionally, she is a professional vocalist and educator, deeply engaged in teaching and performing Balkan music.
Her nomination to the Barvalipe Academy is based on her profound impact on cultural understanding, aiming to enrich the academy’s mission with her expertise in human rights advocacy for and among Roma.
1st Barvalipe Academy meeting report, February 5th, 2019, Belgrade, Serbia
2nd Barvalipe Academy meeting report, December 9th, 2019, Berlin, Germany
3rd Barvalipe Academy meeting report, November 16th, 2020, Berlin, Germany
4th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, December 14, 2020, Online:
5th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, September 24, 2021, Online
6th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, November 24, 2021, Online
7th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, January 26, 2022, Online
8th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, December 2, 2022, Online
9th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, April 4, 2023, Online
10th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, November 27, 2023, Online
11th Barvalipe Academy meeting report, February 26, 2024, Online
12th Barvalipe Academy Meeting report, September 19, 2024, Online
Team of ERIAC Employee ERIAC e. V. Tímea Junghaus is an art historian and contemporary art curator. She started in the position of Executive Director of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture in September 2017. Previously, Junghaus was Research Fellow of the Working Group for Critical Theories at the Institute for Art History at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (2010-2017). She has researched and published extensively on the conjunctions of modern and contemporary art with critical theory, with particular reference to issues of cultural difference, colonialism, and minority representation. She is completing her Ph.D. studies in Cultural Theory at the Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. In recognition of her curatorial activities, Junghaus received the Kairos – European Cultural Price from the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung F.V.S., in 2008. Her curatorial works include the Roma component of the Hidden Holocaust- exhibition in the Budapest Kunsthalle (2004), Paradise Lost – the First Roma Pavilion at the 52nd Venice Contemporary Art Biennale (2007), the Archive and Scholarly Conference on Roma Hiphop (2010), The Romani Elders and the Public Intervention for the Unfinished Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Murdered Under the National Socialist Regime in the frame of the 7th Berlin Biennale (2012), the (Re-)Conceptualizing Roma Resistance – exhibition and education program in Hellerau, Dresden (2015) and the Goethe Institute, Prague (2016). She is the curator of the Visual Arts Section for RomArchive – Digital Archive of the Roma, funded by Kulturstiftung des Bundes (2015-2018). Junghaus was the founding director of Gallery8 – Roma Contemporary Art Space (www.gallery8.org) in Budapest (2013-2017), the winner of the 2014 Catalyst Contemporary Art Award (of Tranzit Hungary) and the 2014 Otto Pankok Prize awarded by the For Roma Foundation of German writer and Literary Nobel Laureate, Günter Grass. Employee ERIAC e. V. Dr. Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka is an anthropologist and a Roma activist, born in 1985 in Cracow, Poland. She earned her Ph.D. in Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in 2016. She holds an MA in European Integration from UAB and an MA in Comparative Studies of Civilizations from the Jagiellonian University in Cracow (UJ). She is the author of policy evaluations, reports, and articles, co-editor of the “Education for Remembrance of the Roma Genocide: Scholarship, Commemoration and the Role of Youth“ (Libron, 2015) and “Re-thinking Roma Resistance throughout History: Recounting Stories of Strength and Bravery” (ERIAC, 2020) and author of “Mobilizing Romani Ethnicity: Romani Political Activism in Argentina, Colombia, and Spain (CEU Press, 2022). She has been an employee, member, founder, and collaborator of numerous Roma organisations in Poland and Spain. From 2008 to 2012 she was the European project coordinator at the Federation of Roma Associations in Catalonia (FAGIC). From 2013 to 2015 she was an Open Society Foundations Roma Initiatives Fellow, conducting a comparative study of the Roma associative movements in various countries of Latin America and Europe. From 2015 to 2017 she was the coordinator and curator of the Academic Section (aka. Roma Civil Rights Movement Section) in the RomArchive – Digital Archive of the Roma. Between 2017-2018 she was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of the Romani Studies Program at the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest. She serves as the deputy director of ERIAC since January 2018. Employee ERIAC e. V. Employee ERIAC e. V. Neven started his professional engagement in 2011 in the Finance sector in Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank, while in 2015 shifting to the administration and finances of the non-governmental sector on Roma inclusion issues. During his Erasmus+ experience gained at the Roma Decade Secretariat Foundation back in 2015, he professionally engaged in Roma topics. Originally from Varazdin, Croatia, Neven has been actively engaged for many years on various projects dealing with the economic aspect of social inclusion and youth participation at the local and regional levels. Neven has a BA in Management and an MA in Political Economy from the Berlin School of Economics and Law, where he specialized in socio-economic and macroeconomic policies. He graduated with the topic: Impact of austerity measures on Roma Inclusion in Western Balkans – Serbia and North Macedonia. During his studies, Neven was also professionally involved in smaller business entities in Varazdin. Besides his formal education, Neven has also participated in various seminars and educational trainings on the topic of monetary and economic policies, marketing, and collective bargaining. Employee ERIAC e. V. Radu Sticlea is an initiator, art director, and artist with an educational background in Arts & Multimedia. His work journey is centered on highlighting contemporary culture from Central & Eastern Europe while researching and curating the New East – primarily focusing on emerging artists and experimental works from the CEE. As a cultural actor, he has established sustainable partnerships with several international institutions such as Creative Europe Desk, International Visegrad Fund, Romanian Cultural Institute, Canada Council for Arts, Lithuanian Culture Institute, Polish Film Institute, Estonian Contemporary Art Centre, Camões Institute, among others. Since January 2023, Radu has been appointed as the PR & Communications Officer for the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture. Employee ERIAC e. V. Petro Rusanienko received his M.A. (with honors) from Kiev National University Theater’s Faculty of Cinema and Television of Karpenko-Kary with a specialty in TV and cinema acting. Throughout his acting career, Petro has appeared in roughly 100 cinematic and theatrical works, including performances at the most popular theatres in Kiev. Due to Petro’s interest in the Roma community, he has organized the Roma Youth Forum, Ukraine’s largest cultural event for the Roma, and was awarded the Roma Pride Award for his contribution to Roma culture in Ukraine. Petro has dedicated his motivation and drive to studying at CEU, where he integrated Gender Studies into his profession and use his talent to create projects at the international level. Petro is based in Berlin, Germany. Employee ERIAC e. V. Since 2011, Claudiu embarked on his journey in the NGO sector as a volunteer, progressing to roles as a youth worker, assistant manager, and project manager. Engaging in over 50 projects funded by the European Union, he transitioned into the role of facilitator / trainer, a position he continues to hold to this day. Claudiu earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Babes-Bolyai University. During his experience at Nevo Parudimos Association, he played a central role in instigating positive change within various communities and effectively coordinated diverse EU-funded projects. Within the same organization, he led the volunteer department, contributing to increase its capacity of the organization to work and accommodate volunteers, while enhancing the NGO’s reputation through impactful initiatives. Through years of experience in the NGO sector, Claudiu has improved his soft skills, enabling him to adapt to any situation and consistently deliver good results in both his work and activities. Claudiu is based in Berlin, Germany. Employee of Evropski Romski Institut za Umetnost i Kulturu Srbija Bratislav joined ERIAC Serbia in 2021 through a REF Internship program working as a graphic designer and communication officer. In April 2021, he became an Office Manager in ERIAC Serbia with the main task of running administrative tasks and leading logistics of the organization of cultural events and, within the ERIAC team, participated organization of large-scale cultural events. As an ERIAC’s RomaMoMA team member, Bratislav assisted in the project with the works of logistics and administration, as well as, graphic design. In 2023, he was promoted to the ERIAC Serbia Program Manager coordinating programs, projects, and events for ERIAC Serbia. As of January 2024, Bratislav has taken on the role of Acting Executive Director at ERIAC Serbia, representing the organization in all external affairs and ensuring transparent communication, as well as managing day-to-day operations, financial oversight, and executing strategic decisions. Bratislav earned his BA in Graphic Engineering and Design at the Faculty of Technical Science from the University of Novi Sad. During his studies, he participated in an entrepreneurship contest, organized by Junior Achievement Serbia, where he won second place in the Regional competition, qualifying for the National competition where he won third place. Bratislav is based in Belgrade, Serbia. Employee of Evropski Romski Institut za Umetnost i Kulturu Srbija Nadja Greku currently serves as the Program Manager at the ERIAC Serbia, having previously held the position of Grants Officer for the ERIACNET4EU project initiative. She holds an MA Degree in International Relations from the Central European University (CEU) Vienna, Austria and a BA in Sociology from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. Nadja further enriched her educational background by participating in the Romani Studies program at CEU Budapest. Expanding her academic horizons, she undertook Princeton University courses in Global History and Research Methods, complemented by a study visit to Cambridge University. Her research focus centres on the governmentality and securitization dynamics affecting the Roma population. With substantial experience in economic and human development, Nadja has collaborated with international organizations such as the World Bank, Cambridge University and Regional Cooperation Council. She has authored a book chapter on Roma inclusion strategies and governmentality for the Roma Civil Monitor and written op-eds for publications including LeftEast and the European Roma Rights Centre, addressing issues such as anti-gypsyism, police brutality and Roma political engagement. Nadja is based in Belgrade, Serbia. Employee ERIAC e. V. Having a background in art history and cultural industries, Gabor has been active in the field of culture since 2011. He used to be a project assistant of the artist collective Space Detournement (Budapest, 2011), a research assistant of Budapest100 (2014), organizer-curator of Budapest Architecture Film Festival (Budapest, 2014-21), organizer-coordinator at the sociocultural center Budde-Haus (Leipzig, 2018-22) and a mobility coordinator at Nautas (Leipzig-Berlin, 2020-23). Besides his professional career, Gabor puts an emphasis on voluntary work, having supported various NGOs throughout the years, such as KEK – Hungarian Contemporary Architecture Center, Trafo – House of Contemporary Arts, DOKLeipzig, OFFBiennale, and Human Platform, among others. Gabor is based in Berlin, Germany. The day-to-day operations, as well as ERIAC’s office in Berlin, are run by international, experienced, professional and dedicated team members.
Tímea Junghaus
Executive Director
Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka
Deputy Director
Emese Molnár
Project Manager
Emese Molnár is a sociologist by training with a professional interest and formation on the crossroads of intersecting fields from the more theoretical such as gender and equal opportunities studies, towards the more performative like art and activism. Between the years 2016-2018 she has been a fellow of the Hungarian-Argentinean exchange program of the Argentine Ministry of Education, doing a Master’s degree in Curatorial Studies in Visual Arts at the National University of Tres de Febrero (UNTREF) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a production assistant she participated in the organization, production and montage of the exhibition “Take Me, I´m Yours” curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Christian Boltanski in the framework of BIENALSUR, the International Biennial of Contemporary Art of South America organized by UNTREF in 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Part of her freelance curating endeavors includes a virtual photography exposition held at the KORUNK Gallery in Cluj Napoca, Romania in February 2021 (NY City Visions – Pre-COVID Places and Non-Places). She has been curator in residence at the Museumsquartier Vienna in April 2019, with the support of Tranzit Austria and Erste Stiftung, and beforehand she has contributed to the collective exhibition “100 Years of Parallel Dialouge”, reflecting on the transformative changes of the past decades that affected the different ethnic groups living together in the CEE region (Art Museum of Cluj, Romania in august 2018).
Emese comes from the field of social inclusion and empowerment, having worked 4 years at the Open Society Foundations in Budapest, Hungary. Within the Roma Initiatives program her greatest contribution was the organization of professional meetings and conferences around the theme of anti-gypsyism that paved the way to the founding of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC).
She participated in several socio-cultural development projects implemented by ITD / CEPS Projectes Sociales in Barcelona, Spain working on issues of migration, social participation, European capitals of culture and storytelling. In 2011 she was part of the organizing committee of the International Theatre Festival “Interferences” held at the Hungarian Theater in Cluj, Romania.
She joined ERIAC in August 2021 as Project Coordinator for the Roma Pavilion at the 59th Venice Art Biennale to be held between April and November 2022 and is also involved in RomaMOMA, which is a contemporary art project initiating a forum for collaborative reflection on a future Roma Museum of Contemporary Art.
Emese is based in Berlin, Germany.
Neven Mesec
Finance Manager
Neven is based in Berlin, Germany.
Radu Sticlea
Communications Officer
Radu is based in Berlin, Germany.
Petro Rusanienko
Community Coordinator – Pride and Identity
Claudiu Pamfil
Grant Manager
Bratislav Mitrović
Acting Director ERIAC Serbia
Nadja Greku
Program Manager
Gabor Feher
Office Manager
Interns and Volunteers