Valentina Montalto

Valentina Montalto is an urban studies scholar whose academic path lies at the intersection of urban geography, statistics, economics, and culture. Holding a PhD in Geography from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, her research bridges these disciplines to inform evidence-based cultural and urban policies. Over the past 15 years, Valentina has worked in international contexts, advising on the implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in African countries, leading the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, and managing high-level projects at KEA, a Brussels-based policy advisory firm for the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS). Her work is underpinned by a commitment to context-sensitive approaches, reflected in a strong track record of academic and professional publications on metrics for CCS and creative cities, and on culture’s contribution to sustainable development.