OPEN CALL: Create a new production together with NTGent

NTGent city theatre is creating more space for new and unexpected artistic processes in the coming years, by means of open calls. This first call goes out to artists or collectives who want to create a new production at NTGent in 2028 or 2029.

Theatre never emerges in a vacuum. It grows out of the world we live in: from questions, frictions, ideas, urgencies, bodies, cities and technology. As a city theatre, NTGent aims to make space for new voices and unexpected artistic processes. At the same time, we realise that opportunities in the arts often arise from existing networks and informal circuits. That leads to some groups and individuals remaining systematically underrepresented. NTGent deliberately intends to break open that dynamic with open calls. 

These open calls are intended to make our selection processes more inclusive, transparent and accessible. We want to work with artists who don’t experience such automatic access to NTGent, but who do have a strong artistic practice and a clear vision for the city and society. 

ABOUT NTGENT

NTGent is a dynamic city theatre that aims to challenge, inspire and activate a diverse audience. Strongly rooted in Ghent and based at the NTGent Schouwburg and NTGent Minnemeers, we develop new forms of theatre and create stories that relate to today’s world. 

From its urban base, NTGent produces and presents productions that travel both nationally and internationally. That enables NTGent to extend itself beyond its own buildings and bring a wide range of artistic voices to many stages and audiences.

In the upcoming policy period (2028-2032), the content of NTGent’s productions will be powered by three motors: art and well-being, theatre and new technology, and art and the urban context. These three artistic lines shape the underlying content of the productions that will be made at NTGent over the coming years.

A lab is connected to each of the artistic lines: the Care Lab, Tech Lab and City Lab. These labs are places for development, reflection, participation and experiment. They offer artists space to explore ideas, test new practices and deepen artistic processes. 

The labs are primarily focused on development, whereas the artistic lines provide direction for the productions that NTGent makes. At the same time, the labs are an important factor in directing content: the ideas and processes that emerge there can grow into productions within the theatre’s artistic lines. 

In the coming policy period, we will structure our collaborations with makers in various ways. Several productions will be selected directly by the artistic directors. However, we are also explicitly opening up some of the productions. We intend to attract five productions through open calls in the period 2028-2032. 

With this initial open call, for productions, we are offering a place for two artists or collectives who want to create a new production at NTGent in 2028 or 2029. 

WHO IS THIS FOR?

You can apply as 

• a performing artist or collective
• without structural subsidies at the time of application
• with a practice connected to the stage (theatre, performance or ritual)

Your practice may be based on a different discipline, as long as there is a clear relationship with the stage and with one or more of NTGent’s artistic lines (see above).

We also ask that you:

• have created at least two productions for an audience (not including graduation projects)
• can present a demonstrable artistic career (a diploma is not required)
• are interested in creating a production in 2028 or 2029 for a medium or large auditorium
• live and/or work in Belgium or the Netherlands and have a long-term connection to this context 

The same financial context and support apply to collectives as to individual artists.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

A full production process (preproduction, production and postproduction) at NTGent. That means: 

• an introductory process with a creative producer to further develop the concept
• a creation period of 8 to 10 weeks in a black box rehearsal space
• financial, business, technical, production and logistical support throughout the process
• dramatic and artistic coaching
• a première and several showings at NTGent (Minnemeers or Schouwburg)
• a performance period spread over two seasons
• support on national / international distribution and touring 

There is also space to join the artistic activities of the theatre, for example through involvement in the guest programme or other processes at NTGent. 

RESPOND BEFORE 13 APRIL

Proposals can be submitted in Dutch or English. Mail your application to opencall@ntgent.be before 13 April.

Your application must include these elements:

• Artist’s statement: a text (max. 1 page in pdf) or an audio, video or other file (maximum 5 minutes) in which you present your artistic practice and describe the project you would like to develop at NTGent. Your idea may be in an early or exploratory phase.
• CV (max. 2 pages in pdf)
• Documentation of minimum 1 and maximum 3 projects to which you have contributed 

QUESTIONS?

There is an online info session (Q&A) on 30 March (1 pm) for interested parties. Everyone is welcome to sign up using this link. We need some personal info to register your participation, but during the info session, you can remain anonymous. 

Do you have questions beforehand? Feel free to contact Rojda Guluzar Karakus, NTGent’s artistic process coach, at rojda@ntgent.be

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

A jury consisting of members of the NTGent artistic team and external experts will evaluate all the applications and create a shortlist of 5 candidates. These will be invited for a face-to-face interview on 18, 19 or 20 May. The final selection will be made shortly afterwards.

In compiling the jury, we will pay particular attention to diversity in gender, cultural background, language and artistic practice.