Dr Carla Figueira is a Portuguese-British expert in international cultural relations, cultural & creative sectors’ policy, management, and education. She works alongside individuals, communities, networks, and organisations committed to making a better world for all.
Carla has a portfolio career that bridges academia, policy, and consultancy. She is currently a Visiting Research and Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship (ICCE), Goldsmiths, University of London, where she previously designed the unique MA in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy, which she convened with the MA in Tourism and Cultural Policy for a decade. She continues teaching in London and internationally.
She also serves as a Strategic Policy Advisor for ENCATC, contributing to cultural policy development and fostering social learning spaces.
She is also a Social Learning Leadership Fellow at the Social Learning Lab with Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner, exploring innovative ways to facilitate engagement, knowledge production and exchange.
Prior to her academic career, Carla spent a decade as a senior arts manager at the Municipality of Lisbon, where she had operating and strategic roles, culminating in her position as Director of the Fonoteca Municipal de Lisboa.
Alongside her institutional roles, she maintains an active consultancy practice, offering expertise in cultural policy, management, education and international cultural relations.
Carla is fluent in Portuguese, English, and French, with working knowledge of Spanish and Italian. A firm advocate for cultural and linguistic diversity, she believes in the transformative power of cultural engagement and social learning. Her approach to projects is defined by transdisciplinarity, innovation, inclusivity, and regenerative sustainability.
You will find a list of her publications here.
Carla Figueira 