Hugo Cruz

Hugo Cruz crossed Campanhã and Bonfim while growing up, the window of a 6th-floor apartment overlooking the dead-end streets of his grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins. From the parallel and simultaneous paths in community psychology and artistic creation, he found solace in what was closest to humanity. He recognized himself in associative movements and civic and political action. Along this path, he earned a doctorate from the University of Porto and completed postgraduate studies in Social Theatre and Socio-educational Intervention at Ramon Llull University. He publishes and teaches nationally and internationally in the areas of "artistic creation and public space," "community artistic practices and civic and political participation," "art and politics," and "cultural policies." He is a researcher at CIIE-University of Porto and CHAIA-University of Évora. He is part of the external evaluation team of the PARTIS Initiative. Art for Change – Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation/La Caixa Foundation. He assumes the artistic direction of MEXE International Meeting of Art and Community and of various theatrical projects co-created with local communities. He provides consultancy services for different national and international projects (e.g., municipalities, festivals, and foundations). He is a co-founder of Pele, the Porto Theatre of the Oppressed Nucleus, and Nómada. www.artandparticipation.com.