Celeste Afonso was born in Viseu, Portugal, 1966

Graduated in Humanities by the Portuguese Catholic University and graduated in Arts, Museums and Heritage by Lusófona University, she has attended the master in Cultural Management at ESAD and also a graduation in Immaterial Cultural Heritage at Lusófona University.

As a member of the researching team from IELT (FCSH - UNL), she dedicated her time and knowledge to finding the “Maios” and “Maias” in Portugal.

Always aroused by the immense value of tradition, during the last ten years has committed herself to updating the traditions of the municipality of Óbidos ( in the centre of Portugal) by questioning and valuing different identities. She was the director of the three first editions of Folio – International Literary Festival as well as executive director of Óbidos – a Literary Village and Óbidos Tourism Association.

In 2017 she fell in love with Leiria, where she is now coordinating the Leiria – Creative City of Music (by UNESCO) and is also a member of the Strategic Council Culture Network 2027.

In life and work she believes that places are made by people!