Chris Torch

Chris Torch is an independent cultural expert, project designer and policy consultant. He has practical experience with audience engagement, artistic curation and intercultural policy.

He led the Artistic Unit at Timisoara 2021 - European Capital of Culture (Romania), during the StartUp Phase, February 2017 - July 2019. (www.timisoara2021.ro)

In 1996, he founded Intercult (www.intercult.se), a production and resource unit focused on culture, ideas and arts. He served as Artistic Director until February 2017.

Torch has conceived and led co-productions within the European Neighborhood, reflected in long-term projects: SEAS, 2003-2010 (www.seas.se) and CORNERS, a complex partnership of cultural initiatives at the ”edges of Europe”, 2011-2018 (www.cornersofeurope.org), both co-financed by EU Creative Europe program.

Torch joined the artistic leadership for winning bids to become European Capitals of Culture for both Matera 2019 and Rijeka 2020. In Rijeka, he served as Program Director, until December 2016, when he was recruited to Timisoara.

He co-authored, in 2017, a major study on Audience Development, commissioned by the EU. (http://engageaudiences.eu/2017/05/05/study-on-audience-development-at-a-...)

Presently he is commissioned to make a mapping of European needs and perceptions regarding cultural relations with South Africa.