Terry Costa is the founder and leader of Mirateca Arts.
As an "artist of artists" Costa's mandate is to elevate an idea step by step through its development and production and raise its visibility from local to national, and at times around the planet.
Canadian-born Costa was raised in Pico island (Azores, Portugal) returning to his birthplace as a teenager. Past leadership positions include Managing Artistic Director of AQT Vancouver (2002-2006), and UNI Theatre (1997-2001) in Mississauga-Ontario; he also lead the pilot project Spaces (2003-2004), founded the Looking Forward, Looking Black festival in beautiful Gastown and Vancouver's Portuguese Heritage Month Festival.
LIVE STAGE: Costa has produced, directed and presented over 500 events including music, theatre, dance, and multi-disciplinary works across Canada and abroad. He was the producer/director of the Mississauga Arts Council 20th Anniversary Celebrations and the Mississauga Arts Awards at the Living Arts Centre’s Hammerson Hall. Multidisciplinary spectacle shows created include An Evening of Fado (2005); Latin Vox (2007); and, Circus Musicale (2009); also, he created the very successful live event, turned television show, Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model that premiered in early 2008 and spearheaded a series of spectacles based on competitions including Go Go Boy Star, Mr Gay Canada, Mr. Gay World 2009 and Hot Gay DJ.
MUSIC: Costa works with various Canadian musicians and represents international artists; he presented Canadian tours for Suzana da Camara, Stockholm Lisboa Project, Pe de Cana, Sara Marreiros, solo shows for international artists including Sara Tavares, Helena Lavouras Quartet, Margens and supported presentations of Mariza, Ana Moura, Helder Moutinho, Cesaria Evora, Seu Jorge, Bebel Gilberto, Fabianna Cozza, Yamandu Costa, amongst many others. Costa also produces artistic nightclub events with local and international DJs.
THEATRE: Terry Costa created many new works for the theatre stage including the international award-winning hit
69 Moments of Life [over 200 performances around the world]
, Go Tell It On The Mountain, Peace - No Fear!, the day I gave Jesus head, Stories Grandma Never Told Me, discovery@erotic, Phaedra’s Dreams and
Inception in Extremis. He also directed and managed the Canadian and U.S.A. tour of Shannon Jardine's award-winning audience and critical hit play
Torch River, the Canadian premiere adaptation of
Douglas Coupland's Life After God, Jan Caruana's
Kitty Kat Klub and Daniel MacIvor's
Humans along with the official Canadian premiere of
Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange. Lysistrata Project was the first play he directed after moving to Vancouver. In 2009 he created
Madonna in My Mind and
Marlene Cabaret in a series of piano-singer shows.
TV: Costa is a freelance producer and correspondent for OMNI/RTPi and the show
Canada Contacto since 2005; he was the consultant and story-developer for
Mosaico TV (2006-2007) and was on the Western Canada team for
Canadian Idol (CTV/Insight) from 2003 to 2008. Other work includes television specials
Anne Murray Duets, Gemini Awards, Soccer Days, and
Ontario Live.
WRITER: Costa's monologues, chronicles, showcases and blogs have been published in 5 languages around the world. He currently writes a regular column for
V-Rag Magazine:
LIVE ON STAGE, and his latest article/blog can be found in
The Georgia Straight, Vancouver's largest weekly.
WORKSHOPS: Terry Costa speaks in various communities about Youth Participation and Partnerships in Arts+Culture; he has been at various events across the country of Canada as an invited guest speaker or panel participant including Pacific Contact, Toronto Youth Conference "Encontro", YOUCAN in Ottawa, Portuguese-Canadian National Congress (Winnipeg, Victoria, London, Montreal, among other cities), he is a regular guest of the Government of Azores as a speaker, workshop leader and facilitator.
AWARDS: Costa has received multiple awards in various disciplines including Iberian Production Award (Spectacle/Theatre), Mississauga Arts Award (Theatre), Argentina International Experimental Stage Award (Writing/Theatre), Fringe Solo Performer (Acting), Fringe Top 10 (Producer), GLBT Outstanding Presenter (Youth/Leadership), Royal Academy Leadership Award (Youth/Leadership), Rotary Club Outstanding Leadership, and many more.
EDUCATION: Costa continues to develop professionally through workshops and conferences but most importantly by doing it and experiencing it himself. Costa's institutional education comes from certificates, diplomas and a degree:
On The Road Touring Workshop, Canada Council for the Arts (2008)
Community Building and Strengthening for Ethnocultural Groups Certificate, Canadian Ethnocultural Council/AMSSA (2005)
The Art of Managing Your Career, The Cultural Human Resources Council (2002)
International Arts Management, NYC College (2001)
Honours B.A. Theatre and Drama Studies, University of Toronto (1999)
Acting Diploma, Sheridan College (1998)
Loyola Secondary School, Oakville (1994)
Externato Particular da Madalena, Pico-Azores (1989)
FAVOURITE THINGS: great food, beverages and times with friends; soccer, dancing, travel, walks with no destination, and long cross-country drives... and yes, he does not mind being called "Costa" as that is his family name, that he adores!