Adélia Borges obtained her Journalism degree from the School of Communications and Arts at the University of São Paulo (ECA-USP) in 1973. She has been working in the media since 1972, having written for newspapers such as Folha de S.Paulo (1972, education reporter), O Estado de S. Paulo (1973-79), Carlos Chagas Foundation (1979-82, editor of the Mulherio bulletin), Globo TV (1982-84, newscast editor), Cultura TV (1984-86, director of the daily Palavra de Mulher—Women’s Word), and Editora Abril (1986-87), among others. 

She headed the editorial team at the Design e Interiores magazine, from 1987 to 1994, and was design editor and columnist at Gazeta Mercantil (business newspaper) between 1998 and 2001. As freelancer writer, she has collaborated or collaborates with newspapers such as Folha de S.Paulo and Valor; as well as magazines such as Bamboo, Bravo, Casa Vogue, Kaza, Wish, Exame, Exame Vip, Projeto Design, Arc Design, Ícaro, and Serafina (Brazil); and Interni (Italy), Axis (Japan), Architécti (Portugal), Form (Germany), Object (Australia), Indaba (South Africa), and Diseña (Chile), among other publications. 

She has bylined over 400 articles published by newspapers and magazines from Brazil and around the world. Her interviews and commentary in the media have yielded about 130 articles written by others. 

In audiovisual, she conceived, presented, and directed content for the “Designers do Brasil” (Designers of Brazil) series, broadcast by the Curta! channel in 2017. Ten 26-minute episodes cover prominent professionals in the Brazilian scene: Ronaldo Fraga, Rico Lins, Renato Imbroisi, Antonio Bernardo, Guto Indio da Costa, Fred Gelli, Ovo, Heloísa Crocco, Jacqueline Terpins, and Guto Requena. In 2023 she is making more ten episodes. 

She wrote or cowrote 45 books or chapters of books, among them Designer não é personal trainer (A Designer Is Not a Personal Trainer) by Rosari Publisher and Design + Artesanato: O caminho brasileiro (Design + Craft: The Brazilian Path) by Terceiro Nome Publisher. She has also produced a dozen forewords and introductions for books. Essays, articles for catalogs, or book chapters by Adélia were published in German, Korean, Spanish, French, English, Italian, Japanese and Polish besides Portuguese. 

Since the early 1990s Adélia has been carrying out exhibitions and cultural projects in several locations in Brazil and abroad. Interested in implementing public policies related to culture and design in Brazil, from 2003 to 2007 she directed the Museu da Casa Brasileira , São Paulo, which belongs to the state government. The Museum, that had for some time been absent from the cultural scene, gained visibility and public. The programs of temporary exhibitions (about 10 per year) and educational activities (especially for students from the outskirts of São Paulo) were reinforced. The intention was to increase the awareness of people in general about design, reveal the extraordinary power of Latin American material culture and encourage and disseminate creative thinking. These actions, together with several others, increased the number of visitors by 444%.

In 2008, she coordinated the team in charge of the conceptual project of the Pavilhão das Culturas Brasileiras (Pavilion of Brazilian Cultures), a new public museum in São Paulo, scheduled to occupy a building in Ibirapuera Park designed in the early 1950s by Oscar Niemeyer. Requested by the Municipal Office for Culture of São Paulo, the project proposes an exhibition space and a reference center aimed at safeguarding and dissemination Brazilian cultures and, especially, the tangible and intangible heritage of cultures of the underprivileged population. The goal is to legitimize, strengthen and disseminate knowledge of the cultural practices of the Brazilian people, in all its vigor and diversity. Far from a nostalgic or regressive profile, the Pavilion of Brazilian Cultures is a museum of contemporaneity, capable of addressing affirmatively current issues and thereby contribute to social transformation. An abridged version of the project was published in the book “Pavilhão das Culturas Brasileiras: Puras misturas”, 2010. More information may be found in http://www.culturasbrasileiras.sp.gov.br.

BOARD PARTICIPATION 

Adélia is or was part in various boards in cultural institutions, different committees, and jury panels for design awards, both in Brazil and abroad, such as: 

. Member of the Advisory Board of the Museu Marítimo do Brasil – MuMA (Brazilian Maritime Museum) project, since 2023.
. Juror at the Edida Brasil Award, Elle Decoration magazine, São Paulo, 2024.
. Peer reviewer for The Journal of Modern Craft, Taylor & Francis, London, 2022. 
. Member of the Consultive Board at Ronaldo Barbosa Institute, Vitória, estate of Espírito Santo, Brazil, since 2022.
. Member of the Consultive Board ArteSol—Artesanato Solidário, São Paulo, 2016–2022. 
. Member of the Nominees Nomination Committee of the 2020 Royal Academy Dorfman Award, London, 2019.
. Jury of Prêmio Casa Vogue Design, São Paulo, 2019.
. Member of the Scientific Committee of the 12th International Conferences  on Design History and Studies (ICDHS), Barcelona, 2019.
. Brasil Design Award (BDA). 2018. Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Design.
. Member of the Selection Committee of the Designers of the Year, London Design Museum, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. 
. Curatorial consultant for MASP Store – Museu de Arte de São Paulo. Since 2016.
. Member of the International Advisory Committee of the London Design Biennale, London. 2016, 2018.
. Prêmio Sebrae TOP 100 de Artesanato. 2016, 2009. 
. Peer Reviewer for Making Futures Conference, Plymouth College of Art, England. Since 2015.
. Prêmio Sebrae Minas Design. 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014.
. Prêmio Casa Claudia Design de Interiores, São Paulo. 2013, 2015, 2016. 
. Member of the selection comittee for Lina Bo Bardi Fellowship, British Council, London. From 2013 to 2016.
. Panel of International Curatorial Advisors for Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’s Design Triennial, in New York City. From 2013 to 2015.
. Member of Jameel Prize nominator’s team, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017.  
. Board member of the Instituto Sergio Rodrigues, Rio de Janeiro. Since 2012.
. Member of the Comissão do Fundo Nacional de Cultura, Ministry of Culture, Brasília. From 2010 to 2012.
. Curator of the Design Collectors’ Club of São Paulo Museum of Modern Art. From 2010 to 2013.
. Jury of Grandes Cases de Embalagem, revista EmbalagemMarca. 2012.
. Jury of Prêmio de Design Universitário Tok Stok. 2012.
. Jury of Seleção de Logomarca do Programa Livre Acesso do Centro Cultural São Paulo. 2012. 
. Member of the Indigo Advisory Group – Native Design. From 2008 to 2012.
. Jury of Bienal Ibero-Americana de Diseño. 2010. Bienal Ibero-Americana de Diseño. 
. Member of Editorial Board of the publication “Design and Culture”, Humanities Division, State University of New York, and Berg Publishers, New York, USA. From 2007 to 2013.
. Member of the Advisory Board of the Association of Graphic Designers-ADG. 2007-2009.
. Partner at ArteSol—Artesanato Solidário, São Paulo, 2008. 
. Jury of Prêmio Philips de Simplicidade. 2007.
. Jury of Concurso Amcham Create. 2007. Câmara de Comércio Americana – São Paulo.
. Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute John Gras. Since 2006.
. Jury of La Silla Latino-Americana. 2005. Foro Argentino de Creatividad.
. Jury of I Prêmio Abilux de Projetos de Iluminação. 2004.
. Jury of AngloGold Designer Fórum 2004. 2004.
. Jury of V Prêmio Housewares de Design. 2004. 
. Design consultant of Itau Cultural Institute, São Paulo. From 1998 to 1999.
. Jury of Pernambuco Design Salão 98. 1998.
. Jury of Prêmio Museu da Casa Brasileira para Design. 1990, 1993, 1994, 1998.
. Jury of Prêmio CNI Gestão de Design. 1997.
. Jury of Prêmio Liceu de Design, Liceu de Artes e Ofícios, Salvador. 1997. 
. Member of the Advisory Board of Paço das Artes, São Paulo. From 1996 to 2004.
. Design Advisor to the Curator of the Museum of Art of São Paulo, MASP, São Paulo. From 1995 to 1998.
. Jury of SARP – Salão de Arte de Ribeirão Preto. 1996.
. Jury of Bio 14. 1994. Biennial of Industrial Design.
. Jury of Concurso Nacional de Design Cerâmico-Louça de Mesa, 1994.
. Jury of Bienal da Associação de Designers Gráficos-ADG. 1994, 2013.
. Jury of Concurso de Design de Frascos de Vidros para Perfumaria e Cosméticos/ Abividro. 1993.
. Jury of Prêmio Abrinq – Brinquedos, do Projeto ao Protótipo. 1993. 
. Corresponding member of the board of the International Council of Graphic Design Associations / Icograda, London. From 1990 to 1994.
. Jury of International Design Prize of the State of Baden-Württenberg. 1990, 1992. Design Center Baden-Württemberg.
. Jury of Prêmio Barilla de Design. 1992.
. Jury of Prêmio Nacional de Design, Pesquisa e Adequação do Mobiliário Urbano à Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência, IAB/ MG. 1991.
. Jury of Prêmio Classic de Artes Gráficas. 1990, 1991. 

Adélia has teached Design History at the Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado/ FAAP (Armando Alvares Penteado Foundation), São Paulo, from 1998 to 2013. She lectures frequently and has done so in many Brazilian states as well as in Australia, Qatar, India, Japan, United States, Spain, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Holland, Sweden, England, Poland, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, Cape Verde and Uruguay, for institutions such as Museum of Modern Art, Victoria & Albert Museum, Danish Design Museum, Helsinki Design Week, Royal College of Art e Japanese Institute of Design. 

Adélia believes that the Southern hemisphere cannot be relegated to the role of importer of products, technologies and lifestyles from the Northern hemisphere, but should be able to devise its own solutions. Several of her works have addressed the issue of cultural identity and disclosed the benefits of bringing together design and craftsmanship in Latin America, in recent years. Her interest focuses on democratic design, not only that directed towards the vast majority of people but also that produced by ordinary people to meet their daily needs.

Adélia was born in Cássia, MG, in 1951, spent most of her childhood and adolescence in Ribeirão Preto, SP, and lives in São Paulo since 1970. She has two children: Joana, born in 1977, social scientist, and Bruno, 1979, musician.

The company run by Adélia Borges, Borges Communicação, performed services for the following institutions or companies, among others:

. A Casa Museu do Objeto Brasileiro, São Paulo
. Abirochas – Associação Brasileira da Indústria de Rochas Ornamentais, Brasília
. ADXTUR – Agência para o Desenvolvimento Turístico das Aldeias do Xisto, Fundão, Portugal  
. Agência de Desenvolvimento Econômico de Pernambuco (AD Diper), Recife
. Apex Brasil, Brasília
. Arper, Monastier di Treviso, Italy
. Arte 3, São Paulo
. Artesanato Solidário / ArteSol, São Paulo
. Arx Gestão Cultural, São Paulo
. Assintecal, Novo Hamburgo
. Bei Comunicação, São Paulo
. Bienal Ibero Americana de Diseño, Madri
. Casa Cor Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte
. Casa das Áfricas, São Paulo 
. Casa Pau Brasil, Lisboa
. Centro Brasil Design
. Centro Cultural São Paulo
. Centro de Expresiones Contemporáneas, Rosario, Argentina
. Centro Dragão do Mar, Fortaleza
. Centro Metropolitano de Diseño, Buenos Aires
. Centro Nacional de Arte, Artesanato e Design (CNAD), Mindelo, Cabo Verde
. Centro Universidad, Mexico city
. Centro Universitário Maria Antonia, São Paulo
. Centro Universitário Senac, São Paulo
. Consulat Général de France, Rio de Janeiro
. Centro Sebrae de Referência do Artesanato Brasileiro (CRAB), Rio de Janeiro
. Dengo Chocolates, São Paulo
. Droog Gallery, Amsterdam
. Editora Andrea Jakobsson Estúdio, Rio de Janeiro
. Editora CEPE – Companhia Editora de Pernambuco, Recife 
. Editora C4, São Paulo
. Editora Rosari, São Paulo
. Editora Solisluna, Salvador
. Editora Terceiro Nome, São Paulo
. Editora Viana & Mosley, Rio de Janeiro
. Elo 3, São Paulo
. Elsevier Editora, Rio de Janeiro
. Escola São Paulo, São Paulo
. Expomus, São Paulo 
. Faculdades Inacap, Santiago de Chile
. Farm, Rio de Janeiro
. Farol Santander, Porto Alegre 
. Fecomércio Ceará, Fortaleza
. Federação das Indústrias do Espírito Santo, Vitória
. Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Paraná, Curitiba
. Fenearte – Feira Nacional de Negócios de Artesanato, Olinda, Pernambuco 
. Festival de Parintins, Amazonas
. FGV Arte/Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Rio de Janeiro
. Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, São Paulo
. Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, Recife
. Fundação Roberto Marinho, Rio de Janeiro
. Galeria Passado Composto Século XX, São Paulo
. Hotel Botanique, Campos do Jordão, SP 
. Icograda-International Council of Graphic Design Associations, Seattle
. Institut fuer Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa), Germany
. Instituto Figueiredo Ferraz, Ribeirão Preto, SP
. Instituto Goethe, São Paulo
. Instituto Iracema, Fortaleza
. Instituto Itaú Cultural, São Paulo
. Istituto Europeo di Design, São Paulo
. Japan House São Paulo  
. Jornal Valor, São Paulo
. Loma Filmes, São Paulo 
. London Design Biennale, London
. Magazine Bamboo, São Paulo
. Magazine Brasileiros, São Paulo
. Magazine Indaba, Cape Town
. Magazine Mag!, São Paulo 
. Maison de France, Rio de Janeiro
. Mercosur Diseño, Montevidéu,Uruguay
. Ministério da Cultura do Brasil, Brasília
. MM Museologia, Rio de Janeiro
. Movimento Brasil Competitivo, Brasília
. Museu da Casa Brasileira, São Paulo
. Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateubriand (Masp), São Paulo
. Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo
. Museu de Design e Moda (MUDE), Lisboa
. Museu Frans Meyer, Cidade do México
. Museu Marítimo do Brasil (MuMA), Rio de Janeiro
. Museum of Modern Art, New York
. Natura, São Paulo
. Pacto Filmes, Recife
. Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro
. Paula Ferber Calçados, São Paulo
. Pinacoteca de São Paulo
. Proa Cultural, Recife
. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile
. Renata Meirelles Design Têxtil, São Paulo
. Royal College of Art, London
. Sebrae Alagoas
. Sebrae Distrito Federal
. Sebrae Mato Grosso
. Sebrae Minas Gerais
. Secretaria de Cultura da Bahia 
. Secretaria de Cultura da Cidade de São Paulo
. Secretaria de Cultura do Estado de São Paulo 
. Senac Brasil
. Sesc São Paulo
. Sherwin-Williams Brasil, São Paulo
. SICA – Stichting Internationale Culturele Activiteiten (Center for International Cultural Activities), Dutch Ministry of Culture, Amsterdam
. Sindmóveis – Sindicato das Indústrias do Mobiliário de Bento Gonçalves
. Studio Ronaldo Barbosa, Vitória
. Summit Eventos/ DWSP, São Paulo
. TV1 Comunicação e Marketing, São Paulo
. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City
. Universidade Federal do Piauí
. Unesco, Paris
. Victoria & Albert Museum, London
. Vitruvius, São Paulo
. Warsaw University, Varsóvia
. World Crafts Council, Chennai, India 

Use the links below to download Adélia Borges’s resumes.

• Up to 200 words resumes
• 600 words resume
• Critical appreciation of the trajectory of Adélia Borges in e-book “ENSAIOS em design”