Bruno Vinhas
Textile Artist & Curator
Bruno Vinhas
Textile Artist & Curator
Originally from the unceded stolen land of the Tupinambá people, culturally influenced by Africans from the Bight of Benin or Central Africa who were robbed of their rights and enslaved in the country known as Brazil, Bruno Vinhas is passionate about global craft culture which drove his will to work in the craft sector and community focused environments.
A bachelor degree in Cultural Tourism and Hospitality has provided Vinhas with the experience of living and working in multiple countries; being immersed in different cultures changed his perspective about art and craft. He graduated with honours through College of North Atlantic's Textiles: Craft & Apparel Design program in 2017 .
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A queer identified artist and curator, Bruno has been planning, developing and executing diverse projects and events with focus on the promotion and growth of the craft sector in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2018. He worked as the curator for the Craft Council of NL Gallery from 2018 until 2023 and for the past 7 years he dedicated his time there creating outreach, learning and business opportunities for artists and craftspeople across the province and nationally. He has worked events such as Northern Lights Artist Pavilion (ON-Canada), the Baffin Chamber trade Show (NU-Canada), Labrador Expo (NL-Canada), Collect (London-UK) and several other events directly related to the Craft Council of NL.
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Bruno won the 2023 Mary MacDonald Excellence in Visual Arts Award which his award thanks an individual or organization whose efforts have helped to sustain and build the visual arts sector in Newfoundland and Labrador.
His primary focus in curatorial practices regards accessibility and inclusion in public art space and conservation and promotion of traditional and contemporary craft practices.