OPEN CALL FOR SHOWCASE PROGRAM – Sarajevo Theatre Showcase

OPEN CALL FOR SHOWCASE PROGRAM

Application deadline: April 20, 2026 (23:59h)

Open call Showcase 1 copy

SARAJEVO THEATRE SHOWCASE 2026

Part of the New Theatre Market (NTM) Project

The Sarajevo Theatre Showcase (STS), organised by Sarajevo War Theatre – SARTR (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in partnership with Heartefact Foundation (Serbia), Ulysses Theatre (Croatia), Para Film and Theatre (Norway), Binario Vivo (Italy) and Realstage (Bosnia and Herzegovina), announces the Open Call for the 2026 Showcase Program.

Sarajevo Theatre Showcase is a curated regional platform presenting contemporary theatre productions from Southeast Europe to an international audience of festival programmers, theatre directors, producers, artistic directors, curators and cultural decision-makers.

As part of the New Theatre Market (NTM) project, STS functions as a professional meeting point between regional artistic production and international touring, co-production and collaboration opportunities.

Sarajevo Theatre Showcase 2026 will take place from September 11–13, 2026 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

About the Showcase Program

The Showcase presents a carefully selected group of productions that demonstrate strong artistic identity and clear potential for international circulation. STS does not aim to present a “best of the year” selection. Instead, it focuses on productions that combine artistic integrity with mobility, professional readiness and the capacity to enter international networks.

Selected performances are presented live in technically equipped theatre venues in Sarajevo, followed by moderated discussions with the artistic teams and invited international guests. The Showcase is attended by representatives of international festivals, theatres, production houses, cultural institutions and touring platforms actively seeking productions for guest performances, partnerships and future collaborations.

More about the Showcase program can be found here. More about the 2025 edition of STS can be found here.

Eligibility

Applications are open to professional theatre productions from: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. 

Eligible applicants include public theatres, independent companies, production houses, collectives and co-productions.

The production must have premiered between January 2025 and April 5, 2026.

Applicants may submit an unlimited number of productions that premiered within the eligible period. Please note that a separate application form must be completed and submitted for each production.

What We Are Looking For

Sarajevo Theatre Showcase seeks productions that demonstrate:

  • A clear and coherent artistic vision
  • Strong dramaturgical and conceptual clarity
  • High-quality artistic execution
  • Recognisable artistic identity
  • Professional production standards
  • Clear touring feasibility and mobility potential
  • International communicability beyond the local context

Special attention will be given to works that:

  • Engage with urgent contemporary themes
  • Introduce new artistic voices or generational perspectives
  • Demonstrate formal or aesthetic innovation
  • Open feminist, gender-based, social, or political questions
  • Are adaptable to different technical environments

While STS is not a thematic festival, the ability of a production to communicate across cultural contexts and function within international touring circuits is essential.

Selection Process & Criteria

The selection process consists of three stages:

  1. Application Compliance Review
  2. Pre-selection (Shortlist)
  3. Official Selection by an International Selection Committee

Applications that are incomplete or do not follow the submission guidelines will not proceed beyond the first stage.

All eligible productions are evaluated on the basis of artistic quality, international potential and touring feasibility. Particular attention is given to the clarity of artistic vision, dramaturgical coherence, performative strength, capacity to communicate beyond the local context and a realistic touring format adaptable to equipped theatre venues. The final selection is made by the international selection committee based on overall curatorial assessment and programme balance.

What Participation Includes

Selected productions receive:

  • Presentation within the official STS 2026 Showcase Program
  • Moderated post-show discussion
  • Direct exposure to international festival programmers, theatre representatives and touring platforms
  • Inclusion in official STS promotional and professional materials
  • Structured networking opportunities within the New Theatre Market framework

If applying for travel support:

  • Transport of ensemble and technical team (if applied for travel stipend)
  • Transport of scenography (if applied for travel stipend)

All performances take place in technically equipped theatre venues.

Please note:

Sarajevo Theatre Showcase does not cover performance fees, artistic honoraria, or production costs. Financial and logistical conditions will be defined individually with selected participants.

Timeline

Call opens: February 25, 2026

Application deadline: April 20, 2026 (23:59h)

Final selection announcement: by June 5, 2026

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the official online form (available below).

Before starting the form, applicants are strongly advised to prepare all required materials and information in advance. The application requires detailed information about the theatre/company, the production, the artistic concept and positioning, thematic and aesthetic framing, production scale, touring format, technical specifications and touring requirements.

Applicants must upload or provide non-expirable links to all required materials, including high-resolution press photos, visual materials, and a full video recording of the performance with English subtitles. The video documentation must remain accessible throughout the entire selection process. Time-limited transfer services such as WeTransfer or similar platforms are not accepted. A complete technical rider must be submitted. If applying for a travel stipend, applicants are also required to provide a detailed transport budget covering the ensemble, technical team and scenography.

Incomplete applications or applications that do not follow the submission guidelines will not be considered. Estimated time to complete the application form is approximately 35–45 minutes, provided that all materials are prepared in advance.

For any questions regarding the application process, applicants may contact:

adna@sts.ba or programmes@sts.ba 

We look forward to discovering new regional productions and strengthening international exchange through Sarajevo Theatre Showcase 2026!