Troilo (a.k.a. Paolo A. Troilo) was born in Taranto on 27/03/72.  Thanks to his mother Lucia, he developed a love for drawing at an early age and practiced it constantly. His father, Antonio (an anesthetist), soon asked him to draw slides for medical conferences. Paolo was only 7 years old when he began to draw pathological anatomy.

He studied Advertising Graphics in high school and later on enrolled at the European Institute of Design in Rome and the Faculty of Architecture in Florence, though he did not complete his studies. In 1998, he moved to Milan and joined Saatchi & Saatchi, the world-renowned advertising agency, where he stayed for about seven years. He later became Creative Director at Arnold Worldwide and won, together with his friend Alessanrdo Sabini, the award for best Italian creative in 2007 with the ADCI Grand Prix.

However, in 2004, something distracted him: the desire to transition from drawing to painting. After leaving the agency, he bought all the necessary materials but realized when he got home that he had forgotten to bring the brushes. This marked the beginning of his journey as the only artist in the world known for hyperrealist figurative painting created with fingers.

In 2009, Paolo definitively left the advertising industry.

In 2011, he was selected for the 54th Venice Biennale.

That same year, he severed ties with all the art galleries that represented him to live off patronage.

Thanks to the support of his friends, he exhibited his work around the world in cities such as San Francisco, Istanbul, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Rome, Florence, Palermo, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Dubai.

Mai Aglan is an accomplished consultant and researcher with extensive expertise in gender integration and strategic policy development. Her work focuses on promoting gender equality and empowering women across various sectors, including civil society, private organizations, and public institutions. She has a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative programs that address societal challenges while fostering inclusive development.

With a strong foundation in research, Mai has contributed to numerous studies, assessments, and policy papers aimed at advancing women’s rights, enhancing gender-sensitive approaches, and ensuring equitable access to opportunities for marginalized groups.

Her expertise spans designing capacity-building programs, training stakeholders on gender mainstreaming, and implementing systems that promote accountability and transparency.

In her work, Mai emphasizes evidence-based approaches, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore issues such as gender-based violence, women’s participation in peace processes, and the intersection of gender and development. She has supervised research teams, conducted field studies, and developed tools to measure progress in achieving gender equality objectives. Her commitment to understanding the unique challenges faced by women and marginalized groups drives her dedication to creating effective solutions that lead to transformative change.

Her passion for empowering others through education and advocacy is evident in her ability to inspire and engage participants across various platforms.

Mai’s work also extends to developing observatories and monitoring mechanisms that track progress in gender inclusion. She has designed tools to evaluate gender equality efforts, assess challenges, and propose policy solutions. Her contributions in this area have helped organizations identify gaps and implement strategies to address systemic barriers, ensuring sustainable development outcomes.

As a thought leader in the field, Mai has authored numerous reports, articles, and policy papers that shed light on critical gender issues and propose innovative approaches to tackling them. Her publications reflect her deep understanding of the complexities surrounding gender dynamics and her ability to translate research findings into actionable insights.

Her vision is to create inclusive environments where individuals, regardless of gender, can thrive and contribute to society’s collective development.

Through her dedication, expertise, and ability to navigate complex challenges, Mai continues to be a driving force in the pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment, shaping policies and initiatives that promote lasting change.

Kristen Cosby is a freelance writer, editor, educator and performer.  Her work has received support from the Jan Michalski Foundation (Switzerland), Can Serrat (Spain), the Corporation of Yaddo (USA), the MacDowell Artist Colony (USA), and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (USA). In addition her essays have won the Normal Prize in Nonfiction and a Pushcart Prize Special Mention. Other musings have appeared in The Normal School, The Normal School Online, Kenyon Review Online, Alaska Quarterly Review, Fourth Genre, Creative Nonfiction, Pitt Med Magazine, Proto, Lodestar Magazine and have been anthologized in The Pleasure Principle, The Moment, and The Spirit of Disruption. She’s performed her works as part of Stage Werx’s “Solo Sundays” and  La Cocina’s “Voices from the Kitchen”. 

For much of her childhood, Kristen drifted off the coasts of Maine and New Hampshire aboard a thirty-nine-foot sailboat with her parents, brother, and dog.  She has lived as an expat in Budapest, Hungary, and a hermit in Maine. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire and the MFA program at the University of Pittsburgh, she now lives and works in San Francisco.

Valcz is a Hungarian actor, director, writer, and creator with an international career in theater. After completing his secondary education at Városmajor Secondary School in Budapest, Valcs pursued his passion for the arts, earning a diploma in acting from the University of Kaposvár’s Faculty of Art in 2006. He further honed his craft at the renowned International Theater School of Jacques Lecoq in Paris, where he studied from 2008 to 2010.

Valcs’s professional journey spans a diverse range of roles and artistic ventures. He began his career in Hungary, performing at Theater Csiky Gergely in Kaposvár (2006-2008), before joining the Stadttheater Ingolstadt in Germany as an actor (2012-2014). He was also a key member of the independent alternative theater group KOMA in Budapest (2010-2012), where he acted and directed innovative contemporary productions. Notable roles in his acting career include Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, and Kay in The Snowqueen.

As a director, Valcs has made a significant impact with works such as God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut!, which premiered in 2012 at the Thalia Theater in Budapest. His directorial portfolio also includes The Gallic Rooster and the Hungarian Chicken, a multilingual, cross-cultural exploration, and The Bestia Commedia, a thought-provoking piece showcased at Hungary’s Biennale of Theaters for Children and Young People.

In addition to his stage work, Valcs is passionate about community-based theater and collective creation. He was an organizer and performer at Szalon19, a vibrant independent artistic space in Budapest. He also maintains a studio called “Bevel Rule”. His dedication to international collaboration is evident in his participation in festivals such as Racinaile in Paris and Fulgurance at the Louvre in 2009.  In 2018, he directed Ferenc Molnár’s "The Devil" in Pune University, in India. 

Valcz’s unique blend of physical theater, creative direction, and commitment to cross-cultural exchange has established him as a dynamic force in Hungarian contemporary theater.