With the launch of an international advisory board, the arts agency Artscape enters a new phase, deepening its long-term vision and international engagement across culture and human rights.
The international advisory board, which will begin its work on 18 February 2026, brings together professionals from a range of fields, including academic leadership, technology, financial management and communications. Its formation reflects the organisation’s evolving strategic direction and its ambitions for international development. Artscape works at the intersection of human rights, emotional health, art and migration, and for more than five years has developed international strategic partnerships across the Nordic countries, Germany and with United Nations organisations. In response to an increasingly dynamic global context, the advisory board is grounded in women’s leadership, values-based collaboration and the expertise required to support organisational growth.
“The establishment of an international advisory board at Artscape represents a qualitative shift in strategic decision-making. I made the decision to form the board more than a year ago, and the preparatory phase allowed us to carefully assess the organisation’s needs — from the profile and role of board members to organisational strategy, ESG considerations and governance structures. In preparing for this step, I consulted with leaders from different sectors and in 2025 completed the ‘Corporate Governance’ module jointly delivered by ISM and EADA Business School. The selection process itself confirmed that the decision was both timely and necessary: more than 30 professionals from academia, the public sector and business in Lithuania and abroad responded to the open call. Nearly three months of in-depth conversations and candidate insights offered a valuable external perspective on an organisation that has been active for almost 15 years. The expertise brought by the board — particularly in technology, academic and strategic leadership — will become a significant qualitative leap for both organisational development and the strengthening of our mission and impact,” says Artscape founder and director Aistė Ulubey.
One of the advisory board members is Charlotte Yates, Professor Emerita at the University of Guelph, who brings over 17 years of leadership experience across Canadian universities. For more than three decades, her research, academic work, activism and leadership have focused on building inclusive societies, including the development of equality policies, analysis of labour market inequalities, and issues related to women, work and trade unions.
The advisory board also includes California-based Josephine Courant, a creative professional specialising in building strong, meaningful brands — from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies. Her work spans design and technology systems, including communications, marketing, digital tools and artificial intelligence solutions. Alongside this, she has collaborated internationally for many years with women-led non-profit organisations.
The board is further strengthened by financial leader Vilija Turuto, who has more than 12 years of experience across the IT, energy, banking and financial services sectors. She has contributed to transformation, business growth and operational improvement initiatives, and has led large-scale projects involving international teams. Her areas of expertise include efficiency, compliance, governance, financial planning and long-term strategy. Vilija is also a member of the Lithuanian Women’s Leadership Association, where she contributes to the development of leadership communities and the advancement of women’s leadership.
The advisory board additionally includes Artscape founder and director Aistė Ulubey — a long-standing leader in the cultural field and one of the most prominent voices in Lithuania in arts-based advocacy, inclusion and cross-sector social impact. Her work focuses on initiating and implementing national and international initiatives that connect culture, policy and communities in order to foster sustainable societal change.
Artscape has been operating since 2012, with a core mission to enable access to culture for vulnerable groups and to initiate social change through high-quality artistic projects. The organisation develops educational and artistic initiatives, collaborates with partners across the cultural, educational, public and non-governmental sectors, and is committed to long-term societal impact. Artscape has received prestigious awards for its contributions to social cohesion, human rights and innovative artistic practice. Since 2019, the organisation has held the status of strategic partner of the United Nations Refugee Agency.
February 10, 2026