Machado Teatro

Co-Director · Artistic Programming · Cultural Management
2015–2021

Overview
Machado Teatro is an independent performing arts venue in Buenos Aires dedicated to theatre, dance, opera and interdisciplinary creation. More than a performance space, it functioned as a platform where artistic production, experimentation and community engagement came together.

From 2015 to 2021, I co-directed the theatre alongside its founder, Diego Rodríguez, leading its artistic programming, organizational development and day-to-day operations. During this period, Machado became closely associated with the projects developed through Barbados Artes Escénicas while remaining an active member of ESCENA, the network of independent theatres in Buenos Aires.

My Role

Working across artistic and organizational responsibilities, I contributed to:

• Artistic programming and curatorial direction
• Production management
• Organizational development
• Institutional partnerships
• Communication strategy and audience development
• Funding applications and public grants
• Coordination of artists, technicians and volunteers
• Strategic planning for the theatre’s long-term development

Artistic Vision

Machado saw itself not simply as a venue, but as an active part of Buenos Aires’ independent performing arts ecosystem. It embraced the role of independent theatres as places where emerging artists could take creative risks, develop new work and present projects that might not yet fit within institutional contexts.

Managed by artists for artists, Machado was conceived as a place where creative work could find both the support needed to be produced and the audience that ultimately gave it meaning. The theatre understood artistic creation as a collective process, fostering close relationships between creators, the venue and the public.

Working through a cooperative production model, Machado shared responsibility with artists in bringing projects to life. Beyond providing a stage, the theatre contributed production expertise, technical resources and organizational support, recognizing that independent performance is built through collaboration between artists and cultural spaces.

This vision shaped both the theatre’s programming and its community, making experimentation, mutual support and artistic exchange central to its identity.

The Space

Part of Buenos Aires’ independent theatre circuit, Machado offered:

• A 50-seat performance venue
• Rehearsal and creative development spaces
• Residencies and artistic laboratories
• Workshops and educational activities
• Public discussions and community events

Its scale encouraged close encounters between performers and audiences, making experimentation and collaboration central to its identity.

Selected Partners & Support

ESCENA – Espacios Escénicos Autónomos
Barbados Artes Escénicas
Instituto Nacional del Teatro
Proteatro
Fondo Nacional de las Artes
Independent artists and collectives