Manuela Benini combines her roles as artistic director, performer, and environmental activist to create transformative experiences. Her creative process is rooted in co-creation and public engagement, using outdoor arts as a tool for transformation. With over two decades of experience, she was the Co-artistic Director of Hackney Carnival and the Artistic Director of Hi!Street Fest with Emergency Exit Arts (EEA) and Historic England, where she developed carnivals and outdoor events in cities across the UK. She has toured extensively as a choreographer and performer and at the heart of her artistic practice is "The Red Dress Project,”. In this project, Benini uses dance with visual story telling, performing in a red dress to highlight issues of climate collapse and human rights violations in the locations where she performs.

Specialism: Activism, Carnival, Creative Labs, Dance, Processional Work, Theatre, Visual Arts