DRIFT – Dance & Research in the Future Time (2026–2029) is a four-year European project that supports choreographers at a pivotal moment in their careers: when their work begins to consolidate and circulate internationally. DRIFT invites mid-career choreographers to apply for an international programme that offers time, space, and support for artistic research, experimentation, and professional development. Each of the 10 DRIFT partners will select one artist based in their respective country, resulting in a cohort of 10 selected artists.
This call is dedicated to artistic research and development. Applicants are not expected to present a finished project — rather, DRIFT is looking for artists who wish to invest in a genuine research process: questioning, experimenting, and building the foundations of a future creation within a supportive international framework.
Application deadline: 31 August 2026 | Selection process: 01 – 30 September 2026 | Results announced: 9 October 2026
Who can apply?
- Professional choreographers with a demonstrated track record in contemporary dance or performance
- Mid-career artists — beyond the emerging stage at the national level, but not yet fully established at an international level
- Artists whose practice would benefit from strengthening the research phase of their work
- Artists wishing to develop their presence and connections at a European level
- Artists with a solid interest in experimentation, transnational collaboration, and artistic research
- Artists with a good command of English (working language of the project)
Residency country requirement
- Each DRIFT partner selects one artist based in their country. Applicants must be based in one of the following countries at the time of application: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Norway, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Portugal.
- Applicants are required to submit their application through the partner organisation representing their country of residence.
Availability requirements
Selected artists must be available for the following key dates:
- 30 November-01 December 2026 — Introductory meeting and pitching session with DRIFT partners and artists in Berlin (Germany)
- 01 November 26-17 September 2027 — One Onboarding Lab + Two local residencies (2 weeks in total) + Three online Lab sessions
- 18-21 March 2027 — Participation to the Festival Lab at in Tunis (Tunisia)
- 18-25 sept 2027 — Showcase at the Biennale de la danse, Lyon (France)
Selection Process
Each DRIFT partner is responsible for selecting the artist based in its country, the Mercat de les Flors / Graner will select one artist based in Spain. Selection will be based on the following criteria:
- Artistic quality — the strength, coherence, and singularity of the artist’s practice
- Relevance of the research proposal — clarity and pertinence of the proposed research direction
- Professional experience — demonstrated career development and engagement with the field
- Motivation — depth of engagement with DRIFT’s values and framework
- Potential for international development — capacity to benefit from and contribute to a transnational context
- Availability — confirmed ability to participate in all key project moments
If you have any questions regarding the second wave open call, please direct them to: contact@drift-project.eu