Perform Europe awards €2.1 million in grants to 42 innovative performing arts partnerships
Perform Europe has announced the recipients of its 2024 grants, awarding €2.1 million to 42 performing arts partnerships across all 40 Creative Europe countries. The initiative, supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme, aims to revolutionise the touring of performing arts works, emphasising greener, more inclusive, and diverse approaches.
The 2024 Perform Europe Open Call attracted 435 proposals, from which 42 were selected by a panel of 17 experts. The chosen projects stood out for their innovative touring ideas, geographical diversity, and alignment with Perform Europe’s priorities. Each partnership will receive up to €60,000 to bring their projects to life, with a notable 13% of the total fund allocated to supporting the Ukrainian performing arts sector.
From July 2024 to November 2025, these partnerships, involving 196 partners, will tour 63 performing arts works across the Creative Europe countries. The selected projects represent a wide range of performing arts disciplines and will test new models for touring, all aimed at redefining how the performing arts can reach audiences in a more sustainable and inclusive way.
The winning proposals encompass a variety of perspectives, including environmental, feminist, decolonial, migrant, queer, and artist-led initiatives. They demonstrate a strong commitment to green touring, with innovative approaches such as ultra-low impact and slow travel, and involve local artists and audiences to minimise carbon footprints. Some projects will offer immersive experiences that reconnect people with nature and raise awareness about environmental issues.
Feminist projects will address themes such as parenthood, gender, care, and menopause, while underrepresented communities, including young Roma actors, Ukrainian youth, rural residents, sex workers, and intergenerational casts, will take centre stage in others. Several projects are led by displaced artists from conflict zones, highlighting the healing power
of the arts and raising awareness about ongoing conflicts.
Accessibility is a key priority across all proposals, with initiatives ensuring inclusive and engaging experiences for all audiences. This includes relaxed performances, sensory-friendly shows, and works led by artists with disabilities. Community-centric and participatory projects will engage audiences through workshops, co-creation, and debates, fostering long-lasting connections in the places they visit.
As these partnerships embark on their journeys from Tunisia to Iceland and Ukraine to the Netherlands, they will reimagine international touring, setting new standards for the performing arts industry.
Perform Europe is implemented by a consortium of six organisations: IETM – International network for contemporary performing arts, European Festivals Association (EFA), Circostrada, European Dance Development Network, Pearle * – Live Performance Europe, and IDEA Consult. The initiative continues to build on its mission to foster fair, green, and inclusive cross-border touring projects throughout Europe.
To discover more about the selected projects, visit performeurope.eu/selected-projects/