The conference, which brought together leaders of theatres, festivals and lyric companies from Ibero-America, concluded with a partnership agreement with the Association for Opera in Canada, the opening of the Vissi d’Arte exhibition, and the announcement of Rio de Janeiro as host city for the 20th Annual Conference in 2027.

The discussions at the 19th Annual Conference of Ópera Latinoamérica (OLA), held in Lima under the title Effective Governance and Leadership, left a central idea firmly in place: cultural organisations can no longer sustain themselves on artistic excellence or institutional tradition alone. In today’s context, their legitimacy depends on their capacity to articulate a clear, shared and verifiable purpose, one that guides programming, resource allocation, audience relationships, fundraising and decision-making.

One of the strongest themes of the gathering was the need to strengthen governance. In this respect, boards emerged as key actors in protecting artistic and institutional autonomy, particularly in the face of excessive reliance on a single funder or external pressures that might divert an organisation from its mission.

Leadership, meanwhile, was understood less as a position of authority and more as a practice of building trust. Speakers stressed that today’s leaders must know how to listen, bring together diverse perspectives, build consensus, read changes in their environment and construct shared purposes. In contrast to more vertical models, values such as generosity, attentive listening, adaptability and the courage to uphold difficult decisions — even when this means setting limits — came to the fore.

The meeting also strongly raised the idea that cultural leadership must be collective and relational. It is not simply a matter of leading an institution from within, but of activating entire ecosystems: boards, teams, artists, communities, authorities, businesses, audiences and other organisations. Trust, transparency, equity and participation were put forward as conditions for meaningful and sustainable leadership.

On the subject of sustainability, income diversification emerged not only as a financial strategy, but as part of a broader institutional vision: expanding audiences, activating spaces, generating new uses, building community and demonstrating social value. The discussions also highlighted the importance of inviting funding institutions to join a shared cause, shifting from a transactional logic towards one that engages public and private organisations in generating social impact.

Institutional milestones of the conference

The conference also saw several institutional milestones for the organisation. A partnership agreement was signed between OLA and the Association for Opera in Canada (AOC), an organisation bringing together more than 20 theatres and companies, as well as artists, businesses, educational institutions and Canadian professionals. The agreement formalises a relationship that began in 2018 at the World Opera Forum and seeks to strengthen and amplify the work of both organisations.

Thanks to the efforts of the Municipalidad de Lima, the exhibition Vissi d’Arte: Italia en los teatros de América Latina was also opened, a project promoted by the Organización Internacional Italo-Latinoamericana (IILA). The exhibition marks the beginning of a relationship between IILA and OLA that will strengthen ties between Italy and Latin America.

The conference was also a setting for strengthening and forging new alliances. OLA had the opportunity to engage with Alejandra Claros Bordas, secretary general of CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe; Michael Bobbitt, new CEO and president of OPERA America; and Lars Ebert, secretary general of Culture Action Europe, a cross-sector network working to embed culture in public debate.

It was also announced that the OLA Women’s Forum will take place between 24 and 26 September 2026 at the Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata Olivella in Bogotá. Finally, the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro was announced as host venue for the 20th OLA Annual Conference, to be held from 8 to 11 September 2027.

OLA thanks all participants, guests and speakers, Miguel Molinari, director of Lima’s municipal theatres, and the entire team at the Teatro Municipal de Lima and the Municipalidad de Lima for a wonderful conference, as well as our sponsors, CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe and Myriad USA.

See you at OLA Rio de Janeiro 2027.