Ana Ventura Miranda was born in Torres Vedras and began her career as an actress and producer. After moving to New York in 2006, she worked as a journalist for Portuguese television and for UN Radio. She also worked at the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations and at the iconic Sonnabend Gallery.

 

In 2011, she founded the Arte Institute, an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the internationalization of contemporary Portuguese art and culture. She has been responsible for organizing numerous cultural events around the world, including the NY Portuguese Short Film Festival, José Saramago Week in NY, Pessoa in New York, Arte Institute Contemporary Dance at Alvin Ailey, “The Gilded Cage at MoMA,” Portugal in Soho, the Arte Institute Program at the Iberian Suite Festival at the Kennedy Center, SummerStage concerts in Central Park, Arte Box exhibitions, the Mostra de Portugal Contemporâneo in Brazil, among many others.

 

In 2015, she received the D. Antónia Ferreira Award, and in 2017 the PALCUS Award in the Leadership for the Arts category. In 2019, she created the RHI Initiative, aimed at fostering a new dialogue between Art & Business and Culture & Tourism, now in its eighth edition. From 2019 to 2022, she was a member of the first Reflection Group on the Future of Portugal, created by the Former President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. She is a member of the Council of the Portuguese Diaspora and serves as North America Coordinator; she is Head of BSN Culture and Tourism of the Rede do Empresário and a consultant to several organizations in different countries. She has served as a jury member at various national and international festivals.