Profession:

Theater & Literature Program Director, North Carolina Arts Council

Five Words About Me:

Dreamer; collaborator; innovator; connector; overthinker

One Surprising Skill:

I just passed level 2000 in Candy Crush.

Jeff Aguiar is an arts practitioner, administrator, and scholar. Jeff’s first encounter with crisis management in the arts stems from an early experience with a family death during a rehearsal process, solidifying an all-too-poignant understanding of the adage, “The show must go on.” His current research focuses on the ways the arts can and are used as nonviolent resistance, emphasizing a proactive approach to identifying problems and constructing collaborative pathways toward resolution and transformation. His background and training in contemporary American theatre, with its focus on conflict analysis and diverse perspectives, dovetails with his passion for community development and sustainable systems of arts practice and civic engagement. Additional areas of experience include K-12 performing arts education; strategic planning; communications & marketing; community engagement; and systems design.