Organizer Information
Associazione Reggio Parma Festival is an Italian cultural organization founded through the collaboration of the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia together with three major theatrical institutions: Fondazione i Teatri di Reggio Emilia, Fondazione Teatro Regio di Parma, and Fondazione Teatro Due. The organization promotes interdisciplinary artistic production and supports innovation in live performance through festivals, educational programs, and international collaborations. Through the GRADUS initiative, the festival aims to connect emerging creators with established cultural professionals and facilitate the development of new theatrical and performative works.
Title & Description
GRADUS II Edition – International Call for Participation
GRADUS II is a two-year artistic development and production program dedicated to emerging creators working in the field of live performance. The initiative focuses on intergenerational exchange, artistic experimentation, mentorship, and project development. The program is designed as a collaborative laboratory where young artists can engage directly with internationally recognized professionals from theatre, opera, music, cinema, choreography, and visual design.
The 2026 phase is centered on research, workshops, seminars, training sessions, and the refinement of artistic proposals. Selected participants will work closely with leading mentors and theatre directors to develop original projects that have not yet been produced or staged.
At the conclusion of the training phase, up to three projects will be selected for full production in 2027. These productions will become part of the official programming of major Italian performing arts festivals, including Festival Aperto, Festival Verdi, and Teatro Festival. The selected productions will receive institutional support and will be produced according to professional festival standards.
The initiative particularly encourages innovative approaches to dramaturgy, music theatre, opera, stage direction, choreography, and scenography, while fostering dialogue between emerging and established generations of artists.
Categories
- Theatre
- Performing Arts
- Opera
- Dramaturgy
- Musical Composition
- Theatre Direction
- Opera Direction
- Choreography
- Set Design / Scenography
- Interdisciplinary Performance
- Live Entertainment
Eligibility
- International applicants of any nationality
- Emerging artists and creative professionals
- Individual artists or creative teams of up to three members
- Applicants aged 35 or younger at the application deadline
- Artists with an identifiable artistic background in:
- Dramaturgy
- Musical composition
- Theatre or opera direction
- Choreography
- Set design/scenography
Applicants must submit a project proposal that has not yet been realized or staged. Previous applicants from GRADUS I who were not selected for production may apply again with a completely new project proposal.
Artists and teams whose productions were funded and staged during GRADUS I in autumn 2025 are not eligible.
A maximum of 10 projects will be selected.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Access to an intensive international training and mentorship program
- Workshops and seminars led by renowned Italian and international professionals
- Networking opportunities with theatre institutions and festival directors
- Artistic development support during 2026
- The possibility of full production support in 2027
- Inclusion in internationally recognized festival programs
- Professional production conditions for selected works
Scholarship Support
Each selected participant will receive a scholarship of:
- €1,200 gross
The scholarship is intended to support accommodation and participation costs during the sessions in Parma and Reggio Emilia.
The scholarship:
- Is paid in two installments
- Requires mandatory attendance at all scheduled sessions and meetings
- Is subject to the regulations established by the Reggio Parma Festival
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Completed application form (Annex A)
- Motivation letter
- Project abstract (maximum 4,000 characters)
- Valid identity document
- CV of each participant
- Signed privacy/data consent form (Annex B)
Additional notes:
- Large files should be shared through WeTransfer or similar transfer services
- Applications from teams must designate one contact representative
- Identity documents from all team members must be included
Only one project per individual or team may be submitted.
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted via email to: segreteria@reggioparmafestival.it
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 June 2026
- Training Sessions (Mandatory Attendance):
- Parma Session:
- 30–31 October 2026
- 2–4 November 2026
- Reggio Emilia Session:
- 30 November – 3 December 2026
- Final Project Submission:
- 15 December 2026
- Announcement of Selected Production Projects:
- January 2027
- Publication of Selected Participants:
- By 31 July 2026
Location
Reggio, Italy
Additional Details
- Training sessions will be conducted in the native languages of the invited mentors and speakers.
- Translation into Italian and English will be provided.
- Participation in all sessions is mandatory for scholarship eligibility.
- The organizers reserve the right to film, photograph, and document all project activities for promotional and archival purposes.
- Participants must guarantee ownership of all intellectual property rights related to submitted projects.
- Reggio Parma Festival reserves the right to publish excerpts or descriptions of selected projects for communication purposes.
- The organization may invite additional artists directly while respecting eligibility conditions.
The call emphasizes experimentation, artistic rigor, and collaborative creation within a professional European festival environment.