Guanajuato, Gto., March 31, 2016.- The artistic creation and cultural negotiation are two aspects that are currently perceived as antagonists but now, they have to be together and join as a brotherhood leading them to move the diverse artistic disciplines to society.

This was expressed in an interview with the National Coordinator of Theatre of the "Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes", Juan Meliá, who –before taking the lead of a national coordination—performed as a professor in the University of Guanajuato (UG) and also functioned as Director of Cultural Extension in the same educational institution.

Juan Meliá indicated that the University of Guanajuato, provided him the right tools to execute the work he does now, he highlighted that he started working in UG, "thanks to the invitation of the Ex-Rector, Sebastián Sanzberro, a person who I admired and from whom I learned to listen and also what institutional work means, where you had to do things right, professionally and at the same time, a deep aperture. I will always be thankful."

He said that the University of Guanajuato taught him to question what is the need and duty of a public institution which also dedicates to educate, hence, he found the answer through challenges he had to defy such as never stop being on-point, and always question himself and put in crisis his own work form.

As a professor, he understood honesty towards his students was the base of a better education, "thanks to my students I found the reason for being a professor and a promoter, in the classrooms of the University of Guanajuato, I discovered that you have to open to the world and be aware of its hugeness and that in the immensity is the desire to be someone and contribute with social benefits, is the best lesson we can have."

Juan Meliá, is a visual artist, and in his path through distinct currents that comprehend the professional development of art; he realized that another of his passions was in cultural negotiation, reason why he currently leads the National Coordination of Theatre, instance where every day he works to divulge such artistic expression. He does this, through distinctive programs throughout the year in all the Republic; and abroad as a National Sample of Theatre, The Monologue Festival, Theater into one voice, the festival "Otras Latitudes" just to mention some.

"I have had responsibilities that overpass the national –indicated Meliá—and cover diverse works, this has led me to think of negotiation differently and find other ways to run it and conceive it, above all having the door open for creators."

At the same time, he distinguished that one of the challenges of being a cultural negotiator now doesn't differ much from other times, since it is based on "reading and seeing what society requires to articulate, construct and implement programs and strategies operated by the National Coordination of Theatre, and above all that these are more related to what the community needs."

Besides being the National Coordinator of Theatre, Juan Meliá also runs Antena México and is President of the Intergovernmental Committee of IBERESCENA.