The Project

Over the course of 30 months, 15 artists will be selected to participate in three research residencies in three partner institutions in three different cities. Each selected artist will be allocated a dedicated partner institution who will contract them for the duration of the project. Dedicated partner institutions will be from the country the artist is applying from or one of the other partners institutions from the network.

Each host institution will offer the artists the opportunity to connect with local resources – research organizations, foundations, artists, members of their communities… – so they can explore the socio-political realities in each partner theatre and its cities. In each city, local mentors will act as facilitators, guides for the artists to make sure that they meet the objectives of the residencies and that they make the most efficient use of the available contacts and resources.

Each artist will see themselves allocated a project coach by their dedicated partner institution, who will guide them on their entire journey and work with them in between residencies, support their research as well as their learning and capacity building.
Throughout this project, partners will be seeking to work with a range of artists including those from underrepresented and underserved communities. Factors will include gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age, and socio-economic background.

The overall objective for the artists is to formulate a project idea that matches their own artistic convictions and that will be the result of their research and experience.
This idea will emerge as they progress with their research and will be based on the most urgent issues they have identified around the larger theme of social inclusion and fed by new and missing narratives they feel need to be told on our stages tomorrow.

At the end of the project, the artists will have the opportunity to present their concept idea for a production to the partner institutions at a closing symposium.

What we offer to the artists

• Three research residency periods in three different cities hosted by the partner institution of that city.

• A project coach for each artist to provide mentoring in between residencies, support during the research process and guidance with the concept presentations for a production.
• Three masterclass events with workshops and networking opportunities with the partner institutions

• Financial support for their participation: lump sum fee or total salary for their research (preparation of the residencies, residency in 3 cities, follow up on the residencies), for a total amount of 11 580 euros, including all deductions and taxes, for a total of 60 days of work.
The exact details and form of the contract between the individual artist and their dedicated partner institution that supports them is determined according to the regulations of the partner institution’s country.

• All expenses linked to travel for the three residencies (2 weeks each) and the three masterclass events (3 days each for the Launch and Halfway Masterclass, 1 week for the Final Symposium):

  • International travel with a strong preference for environmentally responsible means of travel , for a maximum of 6 trips,
  • Per-diems at a rate of 36 euros per day, for a maximum of 55 days,
  • Accommodation, for a maximum of 55 days.

Calendar

• April 2022: Launch of the call for applications online

• June 2022: Announcement of the pre-selected artists

• July 2022: Announcement of the selected artists

• 6 to 8 October 2022: Launch Masterclass at Théâtre de Liège (Belgium)

• October 2022: Beginning of the Residencies

• 23 to 25 November 2023: Halfway Masterclass in Piccolo Teatro di Milano (Italy)

• Summer 2024: End of the Residencies

• End of 2024: Final Symposium at Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, presentation of the concept ideas for a production by the artists

• End of 2024: Publication of the Laboratory Legacy Report

Activities

The Call for Applications

1st phase: Pre-selection

  1. Artists submit an online application.
  2. The applications are assessed by the 12 partners of the project. Each partner constitutes a selection panel composed of members from its permanent staff as well as professional experts.
  3. A total of 45 applications are pre-selected for the second phase.
    The partners inform the successful applicants if they have been preselected.

2nd phase: Final selection

  1. Preselected artists are asked to provide additional information to complete their application.
  2. All the shortlisted applications (total of 45 applications) are sent to all the partners.
  3. The 12 Future Laboratory partners select the 15 artists for the project.
    The final selection includes a range of artists from underrepresented and underserved communities.
    They select 10 artists from the EU countries of the participating institutions, 4 from any Creative Europe countries, 1 from the United Kingdom.
    All artists that reach the 2nd phase receive feedback.

Download the Open call here (+ link to PDF of the Call)

The Residencies
Each of the 15 artists attend 3 residencies in 3 different countries. They are put in contact with the host institution and a local mentor to help them prepare their stay and organise their time and their work during the 10-working days residency in their cities. They organise meetings and interviews with relevant organisations, citizens, groups to investigate the audiences and their social fabric in each city.
At the end of each residency, the artist opens their work with the support of the host institution to present a snapshot of their research, of the methods they used, of the people they met during the 2 weeks, and how it connects their overall research. These Open Labs are open to the local public, as well as recorded.

The Masterclasses
The three masterclass events (at the beginning, halfway through the project, and at the end) are times for the whole consortium to create learning and exchange opportunities on the topics and activities of the Future Laboratory. In parallel, it also allows to create an exchange with the whole group of 15 artists and review the objectives, the implementation, and the results of their research work.

The Laboratory Legacy Report
A Laboratory Legacy Report on the questions of social inclusion in the performing art, and the support to the Artists selected in the framework of the project is prepared by the consortium. It will be published with the collaboration of the European Theatre Convention in their Casebook series.