OPEN CALL
Illustration by Ans Van Gasse
THEATER TO GO festival is looking for productions that deserve a second lease on life!
Does this sound familiar? After plenty of blood, sweat and tears, you’ve put on a professional production, but then it doesn’t quite sell enough to get the ball rolling. In an industry full of shrinking budgets, almost no one can afford to blindly book a production anymore, so as an artist you need to be able to showcase yourself sufficiently to stand a chance… but where can you do that if no one can book you without having seen your work first? There is so much wonderful theatre that is currently slipping through the cracks. We want to do something about that with THEATER TO GO festival!
The deadline for the open call is the 6th of December 2027.
What is THEATER TO GO festival?
THEATER TO GO festival is a theatre festival taking place on the 22nd and 23rd of May 2027. Performances will be shown at the Minard, Arca Theater and De Krook Library. Prepare yourself for two days packed with theatrical gems that won’t remain hidden for much longer!
As a selected artist, we offer you:
The chance to perform at our festival.
Extra visibility through our promotional activities.
A fee of 250 euro per group member, up to a maximum of 1,000 euro per group.
Travel expenses on the day of the festival will be reimbursed, up to a maximum of 100 euro per group.
Access to a workshop on distributing your production organised by NTGent on 14 April.
An individual meeting with GOOD COMPANY (a distribution agency) on May 28th to discuss how best to market your production.
As a festival, we go the extra mile to ensure that, alongside a general audience, industry professionals are also present. In this way, we are not only offering this production the chance to perform at THEATER TO GO festival, but hopefully also the opportunity for further development.
Who is this open call for?
You should definitely apply for THEATER TO GO festival if…
you are certain to be available for all the dates listed above.
your work falls under the category of theatre and/or performance.
you have a finished production that is ready to tour.
you have planned or have already performed a maximum of 10 paid performance days.
you have the ambition to further develop your career professionally (an arts degree is not required).
you believe the production still has potential and think that THEATER TO GO festival could be a stepping stone to further performance opportunities.
We are looking for theatre productions suitable for a black-box venue; these will take place at the Minard and Arca Theater. You can find their technical specifications here.
Minard schouwburg: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A5_oB7X-GPGxUQETJp504wdwyBLNhedY/view?usp=sharing
In addition, we are looking for site-specific theatre that deserves a place in or around De Krook in Ghent.
Who is this open call not for?
We will not accept your application if…
your production is a work in progress.
your production is a Bachelor’s or Master’s production.
your production is intended for the amateur theatre circuit.
you receive structural funding.
you are an associate artist or resident artist at an established house.
your production cannot be technically realised within the framework of our festival.
How do we select?
The selection process consists of two rounds. In the first round, our core team will make a selection based on the festival conditions listed above. Only work that meets all the conditions described in this open call will proceed to the second round.
In the second round, your work will be assessed by a panel of seven judges, each with their own extensive experience within the cultural sector. Ultimately, seven performances will be selected to feature at the festival. Our decision will be announced in the second half of January 2027.
How do you apply?
If you click on the link below, you will find the form you need to complete:
The deadline for the open call is the 6th of December 2027!
We require some personal details and four documents in PDF format:
Motivation: Why do you want your production to be featured in Theater To Go? Please focus on the production history of your show. What has been the story of its development so far? What opportunities do you still see? How can Theater To Go form part of your plan to stage the production more often in the future? Maximum 1 A4 page. (PDF)
You may also submit this in the form of a video, maximum 3 minutes. (Link to the video in the PDF – please note that links which may expire will not be accepted!)Content pitch: What is your production about? Maximum 1 A4 page of text. If you have promotional material such as photos, programme notes or a link to a recording, you may also include these in this PDF. This additional information may exceed 1 A4 page. (PDF)
You may also submit this in the form of a video, maximum 3 minutes. (Include a link to the video in the PDF; please note that links which may expire will not be accepted!)Technical specifications: What do you need to stage your performance? Please be very specific about the type of lighting and audio you will be using, what equipment you will be bringing with you and what you expect from the venue, whether the audience layout will differ from the usual arrangement, etc. In this section, please state how many people are in your team, including the person you will be providing to manage the technical aspects of the performance. There will be technicians on site to support your technical supervisor, but they will not be responsible for running the performance. We provide payment for performers and the technical supervisor: 250 euro per person, up to a maximum of 1,000 euro per performance. (PDF)
CV: A brief CV of the individual or collective submitting the application. (PDF)
Are you unsure whether you meet the selection criteria or do you have any further questions about this? Please do not hesitate to email theatertogofestival@gmail.com!
Accessibility
Here you will find the accessibility facilities for our venues:
Arca: Both the stage and the dressing rooms are accessible to wheelchair users via a portable ramp.
Minard Theatre: Backstage, there is a lift that goes to the performers’ entrance (-1), the stage (0) and the dressing rooms (1 and 2). This lift allows performers to move from outside to the stage and the dressing rooms without having to use stairs or a ramp. However, there is a significant difference in level between the lift and the green room/artists’ foyer. There is a metal ramp to bridge this gap, but it is actually too steep. Heavier wheelchairs cannot use the ramp. The only wheelchair-accessible toilet is located at the entrance to the historic section – so performers working on stage who wish to use the toilet will, in most cases, have to take the lift to -1, exit via the performers’ entrance, move along Korianderstraat to Romain de Coninckplein, and then use the wheelchair ramp at the main entrance to re-enter the building.
De Krook: https://gent.bibliotheek.be/toegankelijkheid-de-krook
As a festival, we aim to cater to everyone’s needs as much as possible. If you are a performer with an accessibility query or request, please be sure to mention this in your application! This applies both to your own performance and to the audience. That way, we can provide tailored support.
theatertogofestival@gmail.com
