Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Catalina Beltrán. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Catalina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I love working in theatre. Being in rehearsals, preparing a play, reading plays, and collaborating with the creative team brings me immense joy. However, recent global events—wars, political shifts, and social unrest—have sparked a desire for deeper understanding. I find myself drawn to the humanities: sociology, history, philosophy, law. I’m fascinated by the work of journalists who strive to understand and explain these complex issues. Part of me yearns to be in their shoes.

I strongly believe that art should engage with current realities. However, translating these realities into art often feels like a mysterious equation, with results that can be one-dimensional, simplistic, or even cheesy. Lately, I’ve spent more time reading news, analysis, and history than practicing my craft. I’m constantly absorbing information, even when I know it’s not necessarily good for me. I’m beginning to sense that this information is slowly distilling into creative ideas, but it’s a gradual process. An ungrateful process. Meanwhile, the urgent issues of yesterday are replaced by new, even more pressing concerns. I feel inadequate; I long for a job or an art form that responds more effectively to these realities.

Yet, every time I attend a play that works out the “mysterious equation”, I’m in total awe. Complex social realities are condensed into a couple of hours of theater. Not only the topics and the shape are powerful, also bringing a crowd together who is aware of sharing this moment, this understanding. I love working in theatre.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Catalina Beltrán, I am from Bogotá Colombia where I started my career as a theater director more or less 10 years ago. The undergraduate program I studied in Bogotá functioned as a conservatory in which people who chose the directing emphasis could direct actors, so I began my practice very early.

While I enjoy seeing and making theatre in all of its forms, devised theatre is where my artistic roots are. It is the predominant form in Colombia, and maybe if I hadn’t traveled abroad I wouldn’t have noticed that I have a strong tendency to break realism through choreography and physical work. On the other hand, I’m very passionate about literature, which always takes me back to storytelling, where I have a preference for episodic and non-linear structures. Both in devised and staging texts, my quest is to find the metaphor underlying every play. What we can communicate in the theatre goes way beyond words, and it excites me to think of finding that image, or that moment that captures many layers of meaning.
Theatre has also been a pathway for me to explore several disciplines, from history to psychology, science to economics. Encountering plays and themes has allowed me to embrace curiosity and satisfy my longing for diverse experiences and careers through the lens of a director. Each play I work on serves as a new opportunity to learn and engage with the complexities of the world. My commitment to feminism profoundly shapes my artistic inquiry, particularly the question: Is it possible to lead an ethical existence within the confines of capitalism and patriarchy? This exploration is central to my creative process and influences the stories I choose to tell.
As an artist whose first language is not English, I gravitate towards discussions around culture and the expectations surrounding theatre. My outsider perspective makes me question how to engage with diverse audiences and contribute to a richer theatrical landscape. I believe in the power of multiple languages—both spoken and unspoken—to collide and create the universe of a play. This belief informs my style, allowing me to integrate elements of minimalist and grounded realism alongside magical realism, enhancing the emotional and narrative depth of my work.
I’ve found an artistic home in New York City where I have spent a bit over three years while I completed my directing MFA at Columbia University.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Our culture has shifted away from dialogue and physical connection. This trend didn’t start with the 2020 pandemic, but the pandemic accelerated it and highlighted our isolation in information bubbles. These bubbles are created not only by algorithms that filter our information and social interactions, but also by our increasingly digital lives. We are losing touch with the sensory, embodied experience of being present with others, truly listening, observing, and engaging in open dialogue.

As an artist, I find it incredibly rewarding to help people see aspects of the world that are often overlooked. One of the most fulfilling parts of my work is conducting workshops with non-actors. Through these workshops, I help participants awaken their senses, cultivate attention, and develop spatial awareness. Even if participants don’t directly apply these skills to an artistic practice, they can use them to live their lives in a more holistic and purposeful way.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In my early career, I misunderstood the concept of artistic freedom. I believed that art and theater were solely vehicles for unbridled self-expression. Consequently, I felt that every actor in a production should have the liberty to do as they pleased. This notion, coupled with a harmful –and gendered– tendency to please everyone, significantly impacted my initial works.

I often prioritized the happiness and perceived artistic freedom of my collaborators over my own vision. This resulted in a stressful and unsustainable approach to leadership, driven by a desire to satisfy others at the expense of my own artistic expression. The “artistic freedom” I championed was, in reality, a false construct that proved detrimental.

Today, my leadership style is a blend of assertiveness and collaboration. While remaining clear about my goals and vision, I actively listen to my collaborators. This doesn’t imply that their will overrides mine, but rather that we engage in a continuous creative dialogue. Unlearning my previous approach and adopting this new leadership style has been a challenging but necessary evolution.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.catalinabeltran.co
• Instagram: @catabeltranj
• Facebook: @catabeltranj
• Linkedin: catabeltranj07
• Twitter: @catabeltranj