Festivals of the Future
Transform Theatre Projects
Cooperation Projects
England
2019
Total project grant (euros)
199,170
Sub-programme
Culture
Funding scheme
Creative Europe
Call number
EACEA 34/2018
Location
Leeds
Number of partners in project
5
Lead organisation
Transform Theatre Projects
Partners
Associazione Culturale Area06, Italy
Mir - Eteria Meletis Diadosis Ke Proothisis Tis Synchronis Technis, Greece
Parallele, France
Take Me Somewhere Festival Ltd, UK
FESTIVALS OF THE FUTURE shines a spotlight on and seeks to develop the ‘next wave’ of contemporary performing arts festivals, which were founded in or shortly before the financial crisis. Small in scale but bold in ambition – these festivals are light of foot and independent, with nimble set-ups and staff teams. They are primarily female and founder-led, with the self-starting visionaries who run them all too often overlooked and undertrained. The festivals involved are united by their progressive qualities, commitment to the next generation of artists and audiences, and their trailblazing spirit in turbulent times.
During this programme, they will work together to intensively examine their models and to achieve a greater long-term sustainability and security. At this same time, they will inform and develop the wider sector, creating a ‘blueprint’ which can act as a resource to support the development of festivals around the world.
This two-year capacity building programme focuses on new business models. Containing aspects of transnational mobility and audience development, for the intentions of developing new business models. Prioritising collaboration, exchange and dissemination as necessary tools for the organisations of tomorrow, the programmes model includes cross-border meetings, festival retreats, research expeditions, business and income model development, artistic outcomes, audience focused events, satellites projects, public talks and workshops as mediums by which to develop and interrogate festival models.
Shining a spotlight on Europe’s rich performing arts festival sector, the project focuses on those reinventing the concept of a festival itself through the development of an innovative, collaborative and replicable capacity building model. The programme will identify the vital ingredients required to create the festival of the future.



