Claudia Escobar is an internationally recognized theatre director and actor currently living in Melbourne, Australia. Originally from Colombia, Escobar's artwork has been catalogued as effective and deeply provocative. She has devised and directed a series of plays, performances and live art works raising spectres of innocence and childhood. Major works: Couch World (2012) live art installation inmersing the audience in a sensorial approach to human rights, play:ground (2008) devised and performed by a group of australian children on colombian child soldiers, Los Tumba Peligros (2006) was devised and performed with over 60 colombian children affected by war. She is artistic director of ‘EL TARRO’ the smallest performing space in the world, Official Selection of South Project 2010 with productions in Colombia, USA, Argentina, Ecuador, Germany, Italy and Australia. She was visiting artist at Societas Rafello Sanzio (Italy 2011). She is the recipient of the Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship (2011), Art and Youth for Peace Award (Colombia 2010), IPCA Award (2008), Carolina Oramas Award ICETEX (Colombia 2007) and Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship (2007). She was recently Assistant Director at the Malthouse production Blood Wedding (2012) directed by Marion Potts. Performances include: NO EXIT (A is for Atlas, 2012), SWEAT (Branch Nebula, 2010/2011) at the IN TRANSIT Festival in Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt (Berlin) manola (solo work 2010) as part of Performance Space season, Carriageworks (Sydney) and Dance Massive 2011 (Melbourne).

Escobar has over eight years of experience in arts management and has worked as a consultant for cultural management. Escobar is currently responsible for Marketing & Development at Multicultural Arts Victoria.

• 2013. International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management AIMAC. Speaker: 'At the Heart of The Arts: How Multicultural Festivals Create Social Inclusion'. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.
• 2012. La Trobe University. Panelist 'Playing Dead: Making theatre with children from here about children from there', Melbourne, Australia.
• 2012. Faculty of the VCA and Music, The University of Melbourne, featured speaker 'socially engaged art', Melbourne, Australia
• 2011. Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship, Melbourne Australia
• 2011. Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, featured speaker 'can we speak?', Melbourne, Australia
• 2010. Art and Youth for Peace Award, Academia de Artes Guerrero, Bogotá, Colombia for exceptional support to the Art and Youth for Peace Program which supports children victims of the war
• 2010. Marketing & Development Officer Appointment. Multicultural Arts Victoria, Australia
• 2009. Master in Theatre Practice, University of Melbourne, Faculty of the VCA and Music, Australia
• 2008. International Postgraduate Coursework Award IPCA The University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2008. Graduate Diploma in Performance Creation, The University of Melbourne, Faculty of the VCA and Music, Australia
• 2007. Carolina Oramas Scholarship ICETEX, most recognized Government Scholarship for Colombian artists for important contribution to the artistic and cultural growth of the country
• 2007. Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship Faculty of the VCA and Music, The University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2007. Co-Author Manual de Gestión para Salas de Teatro -Guide for Theatre Auditoriums Management-. Ministry of Culture – FJC University, Colombia
• 2005. Master in Management: Marketing, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
• 2001. Certificate in Design and Patternmaking. Arturo Tejada Cano School of Fashion Design and Marketing, Colombia
• 2000. BA Industrial Design, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• 1984. First Prize, International Fine and Applied Arts Competition, Gallery of Children's Art, Balaton, Hungary

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Photo credit: Blacknote Photography