Born in the picturesque town of Făgăraș, but with 19 years of memories made in Sfântu Gheorghe, Cristina Mihalache is a 22 year old young woman who turned into an aspiring artist at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca. In the second year of her Master’s degree, specialising in Photo-Video, Cristina uses her free time to immerse herself in the world of books and music. Every musical chord or page she flips through is an escape for her, a getaway that keeps her spirit alive and prevents her from succumbing to a full schedule. Her rule of thumb: she never misses a concert just because she has no one to go with.

While attending university gave her a platform to develop her artistic skills, her involvement in the ASUAD student association really changed the game. Although her debut was shy, given the pandemic circumstances, her determination and passion for community led her on a remarkable path. From being a basic volunteer in the Arts Summer University project, Cristina quickly evolved to coordinating the entire project. In the same year she was invited to take charge of a new department, Project Management & Fundraising.

The thought of coordinating two of the most difficult departments compressed into one was scary, but the support I felt from colleagues gave me confidence.

Now in her second term, Cristina is proud of the department she has built and the innovative projects she has brought to life. However, for her, the greatest reward is hearing that her efforts have made a positive difference in the lives of others.

My biggest motivation for volunteering is that moment after the event when I hear word of mouth that the project has had a positive impact, that participants have had a great experience or in some cases that the project even changed their lives. That’s when I truly feel that all of my efforts have counted, and I’m so glad that I was able to make a difference in someone’s life. It’s a wonderful feeling, I can’t describe it.

Her latest adventure? Coordinating volunteers at The Night-Art Festival. Although she was reluctant at first due to her shy and introverted nature, Cristina discovered that her organisational skills were exactly what the festival needed. Today, with enthusiasm and determination, she looks forward to meeting and collaborating with volunteers. We look forward to it too!

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This project is part of the national cultural program “Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in 2023” and is financed through the Grow Timișoara 2023 program, carried out by the Project Center of Timișoara Municipality, with funds allocated from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Culture.

The Night-Art Festival is presented by George, the first smart banking.

Sponsors: Fan Courier, Iulius Town, ATP Motors, Pepsi

Project partners: Leeds City Council, In-Edu Association Timișoara, German Cultural Center Timișoara, Cluj Cultural Center, West University Timișoara, University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca, Polytechnic University of Timișoara

Communication partners: Getica OOH, Aushopping galleries, Kiss Fm, Euromedia, Pressone.ro, G4Media.ro, World Wide Print, Daisler Print House, Știri din România, Tion, Express de Banat, IQOOL, Zile și Nopți, Știri de Timișoara, NewsVest, Adevărul, TVR, Radio Timișoara, România Pozitivă, Best of Timișoara