Irlando Ferreira works in the arts and culture sector through interdisciplinary research and practice, focusing on curating, programming, and cultural management. He is currently a PhD student in the Research Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities at Coventry University, UK, funded by FCT: Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal, and Curator-in-Residence at Central Saint Martins.
Between 2015 and 2023, he served as director and chief curator of The National Centre for Art, Crafts & Design (CNAD) in Cabo Verde. Under his leadership, he prompted new directions for Cabo Verde’s cultural policies and management; CNAD regained its status as a public institution with unique and upgraded cultural facilities, including the museum, library and research center, training center, and collection storage. While there, he structured regular interdisciplinary programming and curated exhibitions including Island in IV Acts by Luísa Queirós, Arkipélg by Carlos Noronha Feio, and Strings - Cabo Verde’s Tapestry; and co-curated Cabo-Verdean Creation: Routes with Adélia Borges. He also coordinated the research team to create and implement the legal framework for Cabo Verde's national arts and crafts sector from 2018-2021.
Ferreira holds a bachelor's degree in theatre and a Master's in Management and Cultural Studies. He is the author of the book Cabo Verde, Creative Economies: What Benefits for the Country? and the editor of various books and catalogues. Additionally, he actively participated in the "Culture for the Future" Manifesto, an initiative by the European Union held in Brussels (2019), and in the "Cabo Verde International Ambition Forum 2030" (2020). In recognition of the impact of his work on the African continent, in 2020, he was distinguished as one of the 40 most influential thinkers in Africa under 40 by Apollo – The International Art Magazine, London. In 2022, he was distinguished as one of the “100 Most Influential Black Personalities in Lusophony” by Bantumen.
