Aktina Stathaki is a graduate of the National Theatre of Greece (Acting) and holds a PhD in South African drama and postcolonial studies from the University of Toronto. She is the founder of Between the Seas Festival in NYC - an international platform presenting and promoting the work of emerging contemporary Mediterranean performing artists in New York (www.betweentheseas.org). She currently runs 1927 Art Space in Athens: an independent venue with a focus on international exchanges, the presentation of in-progress work and the bridging of research and artistic practice (www.1927online.art.blog).

Aktina has worked in producing, administrative and consulting positions in organisations such as: The Joyce Theatre (New York), Women’s Project Theatre (New York), The International Theatre Institute (Shanghai). In 2018-2019 she was appointed a special advisor to the Greek minister of culture in charge of international relations.

Aktina’s research and articles on contemporary theatre have been published and presented in conferences, journals and newspapers in Greece, North America and beyond including the South African Theatre Journal, The Drama Review, ACLA and IFTR conferences. She is the recipient of a United Nations Alliance for Civilizations fellowship for her commitment to intercultural dialogue and exchange. Most recently (2019) she attended the Mellon School for Theatre and Performance at Harvard University, an intensive summer program for theatre researchers and practitioners.