Michelle Calcatelli

In residence: January - February 2026

Michelle Calcatelli is an international cooperation professional with over 20 years of experience working across agriculture, innovation, and policy. Specialised in resource mobilisation, proposal development, and strategic programme design, Calcatelli has helped organisations secure funding, shape impactful portfolios, and influence international policy agendas. With expertise in cross-cultural collaboration and global partnerships, their work is driven by a strong interest in climate resilience and the challenges of remote regions.

During the residency at Artica Svalbard, Calcatelli will develop the project Rights, Resilience & Arctic Frontlines, which seeks to reframe the Arctic as a global priority in climate debates. By connecting local realities in Svalbard with international frameworks of rights, equality, and resilience, the project will highlight the universality of resilience challenges and the need for solidarity across regions. Grounded in community perspectives and lived experiences, the residency will also draw comparative lessons from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The outcome will be a programme design document offering practical pathways for large-scale resource mobilisation, complemented by narrative and visual materials created during the residency. By positioning Svalbard as both a local frontline and a global symbol, the project underscores that safeguarding the Arctic is inseparable from safeguarding humanity’s collective future.

Social media: Instagram