30.11.2022
Helsinki City Theatre’s Stage for Contemporary Performance – Open call for premieres in 2024
Helsinki City Theatre’s Stage for Contemporary Performance continues – open call for premieres in 2024 opens on December 5th
After the initial two-year pilot phase, Helsinki City Theatre’s Stage for Contemporary Performance continues in 2024 as a part of the seasonal programme of the theatre and studio Pasila.
The Stage for Contemporary Performance will continue to function annually in three formats: a premiere with full productional support, a premiere with residency support and invited guest performances. The objective of the project is to include different forms of contemporary performance in the theatre’s programme.
“Freelance artists active in the Helsinki region rarely get an opportunity to work in a larger theatre space and with productional resources that are available in studio Pasila. It is also important that the Stage for Contemporary Performance doesn’t remain as an externally funded experiment. The stage can continue to evolve as part of the Helsinki City Theatre’s permanent activity”, state curators Tuomas Laitinen, Riikka Thitz and Suvi Tuominen.
Our open call for premieres for the year 2024 opens on Dec 5th, 2022. We are looking for proposals that
• observe its field of art (or arts) and its practices in an interesting / experimental way
• renew, disrupt or observe the (Pasila) stage or other spaces and structures of the theatre
During the selection process we will take into consideration the diversity of the fields of art and makers.
The performances take place in Helsinki City Theatre’s studio Pasila. The theatre seats 328. The stage is 6 meters deep and 18 meters wide and the size of the stage and the auditorium can be adjusted to some extent.
The open call for 2024 has two categories:
1. Premiere in April 2024
For this category we’re looking for proposals that combine the Helsinki City Theatre’s existing resources with the work of a freelance working group. Your proposal may include, for example, working time with a City Theatre’s regular performer, dramaturg or designer, or any other possible forms of collaboration. We encourage you to experiment with ideas as this is a new production model that will take shape based on the received proposals as well as the available resources.
We offer the selected performance
• Productional support that will be primarily allocated towards the salary and productional costs of the freelance working group. The maximum amount of the support is 50 000 €
• Rehearsal period in studio Pasila during March-April
• Premiere and performance season from mid-April to mid-May
• Communication and marketing as part of the Helsinki City Theatre’s seasonal programme
• Technical resources and staff of Studio Pasila, to be discussed according to the working group’s needs
• Discussions and working time with the curator of the Stage for Contemporary Performance
2. Summer residency and premiere in August 2024
For this category we are looking for performances that already have financing for their salary and production costs.
We offer the selected performance
• A maximum of 8 weeks of residency time in studio Pasila during June and July
• Total ticket income of the performance
• The studio Pasila stage for the performance period in August
• Communication and marketing as part of the Helsinki City Theatre’s seasonal programme
• Technical resources and staff of Studio Pasila, to be discussed according to the working group’s needs
• Discussions and working time with the curator of the Stage for Contemporary Performance
Curators
The selections are made by a curatorial team composed of performance and dance artist Suvi Tuominen; director, doctoral candidate Tuomas Laitinen; and contemporary art and performance curator Riikka Thitz.
In 2024 the running and programming of the Stage for Contemporary Performance will be led by a head curator and an assisting curator who will be selected at a later date.
How to apply?
The open call is targeted for professional artists and collectives working in Finland.
The application process is realized as online meetings. Each artist or collective will meet one of the curators and present their performance idea as they wish.
Through these face-to-face meetings, the curators aim to provide an alternative for open call application processes, where writing is highlighted as the principal medium for expressing ideas.
After the meetings the curatorial team will discuss and make the final selections during February 2023. The selections will be announced in early March 2023.
The meetings will take place between 2.–27.1.2023. The duration of each meeting is 45 minutes, and they are held online. The applicants will receive more detailed information about the meeting prior to the appointment.
You can book an appointment with the curator of your choice. (Note that there is a limited number of appointments available)
• The links to the bookings open on this site on Dec 5th at 9 am.
• The call is open until Dec 18th, 2022., or until all appointments are booked
• There is a limited number of appointments available, so it’s recommended not the registration at the last minute – however, please read the call carefully before booking your slot!
All curators are happy to discuss all kinds of performance proposals. However, each of them has their own areas of expertise:
• Riikka – contemporary dance, performing arts, visual arts, interdisciplinary forms
• Suvi – live and performance art, dance, art-research
• Tuomas – live and performance art, contemporary theatre, spectatorship, artistic research
Contact information: tuomas.laitinen@hkt.fi, suvi.tuominen@hkt.fi & riikka.thitz@hkt.fi