Open Call for Theatre Industry Professionals

Application Deadline: May 31, 2025
Program Dates: September 12–15, 2025
Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Organized by Sarajevo War Theatre – SARTR (BiH), Heartefact Foundation (Serbia), Ulysses Theatre (Croatia), Para Film and Theatre (Norway), and Binario Vivo (Italy), the Sarajevo Theatre Showcase (STS) – as part of the New Theatre Market (NTM) – invites applications from international theatre industry professionals – including festival selectors, producers, artistic directors, venue managers, funders, curators, and representatives of cultural institutions – who are interested in discovering new work and offering opportunities for presentation, funding, touring, or collaboration.

As the emerging professional platform for contemporary theater from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia, STS 2025 presents a carefully curated program structured around three main components:

  • Showcase – presentations of outstanding recent regional productions 

  • Industry Pitch – innovative theater projects in development seeking partners

  • Theatre Market – curated one-on-one meetings with playwrights presenting completed dramatic works

This open call is intended for individuals and institutions who can actively support the presented work through their professional roles – offering possibilities for distribution, co-production, financing, touring, or program inclusion.

While the main focus for industry professionals is on the three key segments listed above, participants will also have access to observe other STS programs designed primarily for emerging professionals, including:

  • Stage Talks – a conference program exploring key issues in contemporary theater such as sustainability, diversity, international collaboration, and audience development
  • Atelier Program – public readings of new plays developed through a collaborative year-long writing residency
  • Residency – an intensive development program for 20 emerging professionals from Southeast Europe

These programs offer broader insight into the evolving regional scene and may spark ideas for future collaboration.

What STS Provides to Invited Industry Professionals

  • Full accreditation for all STS 2025 programs
  • Access to all networking and professional events
  • If selected, participants will receive full accommodation and partial travel cost coverage

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from individuals and/or institutions/organizations/companies working in:

  • Theater festivals and venues
  • Production companies and touring networks
  • Cultural foundations and funding bodies
  • Artist residencies and agencies
  • Theater programming, curation, and criticism

Applicants should demonstrate the ability to offer concrete professional opportunities and a strong interest in engaging with our regional theater scene.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete the application form below and submit it by May 31, 2025. Selected professionals will be contacted in June 2025.

For questions, contact: info@sts.ba 

The program is co-funded by the Creative Europe - Culture subprogram.