Coronavirus broke out in Europe just as ETC was starting to plan this year’s European Theatre Academy. This programme, taking place simultaneously with the well-known Festival d’Avignon in France, is dedicated to theatre professionals at the beginning of their careers, with the ambition to grow internationally.
Open to both members and non-members, this programme was born 6 years ago and grew to become a significant pillar of our network activities. Cancelling felt like giving up on the next generation of theatre-makers, at a moment where it felt they needed ETC the most. That is how ETC came to hold its very first online Academy.
High-level mentoring for 14 talented professionals
A total of 14 participants, representing 13 countries, was selected to receive mentoring from Rui Catarino, Administrator and Executive Board Member of Teatro Nacional D. Maria II (Lisbon, Portugal) and Dubravka Vrgoč, General Manager and Artistic Director of Croatian National Theatre (Zagreb, Croatia). Furthermore, they were offered 6 masterclasses on creating and developing international projects.
Although the situation didn’t offer the same conditions as for the previous editions, the online experience was still received with excitement. The Academy not only provided a safe space to connect and create solidarity, it also presented a window into a more positive future.
What next? Hopefully, the next Academy will be taking place in Avignon in July 2021. The open call will be published in Spring 2021: Make sure to save the date!