Please introduce yourself in two or three sentences.
Literature fascinates me because it broadens my horizon. Borges once said: ‘To read is to think with someone else’s mind.’ In my field of work that means always seeing things from someone else’s perspective – while moderating, curating, reviewing, advising and translating.
What career experience do you have in your field of consultation?
I’ve been organizing literary events for over twenty years, both in the independent scene and in cooperation with institutions at home and abroad. My clients have included the Goethe-Institut, the Literarisches Colloquium Berlin, the Instituto Cervantes, the Brazilian Embassy and the Haus für Poesie, among others. I’ve also been called to serve on various juries, and have been able to support literary event organizers as a mentor in the independent scene.
What are typical questions that participants might ask you in a consultation session?
What does a good proposal look like? How do I write a consistent financial plan? What do juries expect from an application? How do I form a good team for a project? The financing was approved – now how do I realize my proposal? And of course: How can I get over my aversion to Excel tables? 😉
What are some of your professional achievements?
From 2006 to 2022 I co-curated the Latin-American poetry festival Latinale, in Berlin and other German cities. Since 2008, together with Jorge Locane I’ve organized the reading series ex/salón in Berlin.
What languages do you offer consultation sessions in?
In German, Spanish, Portuguese, English.
Where can you be found in the internet/on social media?
www.latinale.org
What piece of advice would you offer anyone interested in working in your professional field?
Don’t let an early disappointment throw you off course. And: get organized!
What were your greatest challenges in the early years of your career?
The transition from university to freelance work: networks are formed only gradually, and there will always be times with no contracts in sight; times when you have to work a ‘money job’. Those are difficult periods, but if you have a goal in mind, you’ll get through it.