Open Call for Young and Emerging Theatre Makers

Lithuanian National Drama Theatre invites young artists (under 35) of various artistic fields to present ideas for contemporary performative and interdisciplinary arts platform. Applicants are expected to fit into a limited budget (up to 15 000 eur) and time-frame (6 weeks for production, projects released first half of 2019) and to address one of the topics discussed below. We are looking for ambitious, convention-breaking, current-trends-questioning, interdisciplinary projects from young and emerging artists from around the world.

LNDT Stage for Young Art is setting grounds for what in a coming few years will develop into a new creative space. It will continue theatre’s consistent artistic programme aimed at stimulating the dynamics of Lithuanian theatre stage, professional education of young artists as well as emergence of new phenomena and trends in the field of performative arts. In 2020, following the reconstruction of the theatre building set to begin this year, the theatre will launch an experimental stage for young and emerging artists: the venue will produce work of local and international young artists as well as run showcases of selected artistic work.

Keywords: home, migration, community

The cry for new forms can be heard all around the globe. When was the last time an actor managed to grasp the audience’s attention by reciting hexameter? What should be the form and content of the conversation with the viewer to make a mutual dialogue possible? How can we talk to generations X, Y, Z, when metaphors are no longer seized in the age of information overload? What should today’s and tomorrow’s performing arts be like for them to not only speak but be heard? What are the future voices of the Lithuanian and European art itching to talk about?

Since LNDT itself is about to undergo a period of forced homelessness, we think this brings about a few topics of universal relevance. Home and a lack of it; the relationship with those close to us, or who we regard as close; belonging to a community resulting in the sense of security and/or isolation; oscillation between settled and nomadic life; migration towards or away from self. As LNDT is leaving its home, it is turning to communities, dealing with utopias and perhaps dystopias, searching for models of life and survival, examining and reflecting upon them. It is looking for common threads and red lines between closeness and openness, the state and the citizen, the human being and the system. After a successful starting point in analysing authentic stories, the theatre is not turning its back to them. It just takes a gentle little step towards fiction while looking to employ different medias, encourage the merging of various means of theatric and interdisciplinary expression, the potential of which has no boundaries.

Selection Process and Requirements

The programme’s board is to select up to three projects, which will premiere in spring 2019. The selected projects will be given a limited period of time for rehearsals and a budget for their disposal, full artistic team and access to managerial and technical facilities of LNDT. The applications can come from a variety of artistic fields, including but not limited to theatre, dance, performance, music, visual theatre and interdisciplinary arts. Artists, both Lithuanian and international, are eligible to apply.

The applicants are to send their applications with all the required attachments to agne.pulokaite@teatras.lt. Any questions or comments are to be addressed to Agnė Pulokaitė, one of the programme’s curators.

Application form is available to download here.DOC or can be requested to be mailed by the programme’s curator Agne Pulokaite at agne.pulokaite@teatras.lt.

 

Timeline

Application deadline – October 1.

Applications reviewed and shortlisted – October 2-15.

Shortlisted candidates invited to present their projects – October 15-November 15.

Open call results announced before December 1.

Projects implemented – January-June, 2019.