International Bursaries 2026 Announcement!
We’re excited to announce the recipients of our 2026 International Bursaries!
We are delighted to be supporting Juily Chen, Emma Jayne Park, and Nancy Jacinto to participate in Keđja’s Stretch Further: Exploring Identity event, in Oulu, Finland (7 – 13 September).
We are also supporting participation in VAP’s encounters for Katherina Radeva—Albanian Dance Platform (19 - 22 October 2026)—and Mark Bleakley—Iridescent Festival, Bucharest, Romania (5 – 9 November).
This year, we continue working with Keđja, our long-standing collaborator—an informal, international network bringing together dance professionals across borders to create, share and inspire. Member organisations come from Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Estonia. We are also connecting for the first time with Visiting Artist Programme (VAP) to offer two artists from The Work Room network the opportunity to join with artists from across Europe at Artists Encounters. VAP is one of the projects that form part of Dance Festivals Network Europe, a coalition of European dance festivals dedicated to advancing contemporary dance’s role in building a sustainable, inclusive and innovative future.
About Keđja’s Stretch Further: Exploring Identity
The event is in partnership with the Keđja network and with the Finnish national forum of Regional Dance Centres Kiertoliike and in the context of the annual OuDance Festival. It will bring together the international professional dance community in the north, offering opportunities for community-building, networking, and deepening professional identity and artistic vision. The programme will include talks, workshops, panel discussions, dance performances and films, as well as evening clubs.
As an international gathering, the event will explore themes of artistic identity, with diverse artistic, cultural, and national perspectives.
Further info: https://jojo.fi/en/stretch-further-en/
About the Visiting Artist Programme (VAP)
The VAP is a collaborative project aimed at stimulating artistic development, creative exchange and valuable networking. The programme invites artists to visit one of the diverse and vibrant partner dance festivals, meet local artists, attend performances and gain inspiration and expertise as they progress in their work. It will also offer artists the chance to engage with presenters and promoters, providing essential networking opportunities.
Further info: https://www.visitingartistprogramme.eu/encounters