Application deadline: May 31, 2026 (23:59h)

SARAJEVO THEATRE SHOWCASE 2026

Part of the New Theatre Market (NTM) Project

Following the highly successful first edition of the Residency Programme in 2025, Sarajevo Theatre Showcase is happy to announce the Open Call for the Residency Programme – Critics 2026.

This year, the Critics Residency continues under the mentorship of internationally recognised theatre critic and editor Natasha Tripney, who returns as Head of Studies after leading the first edition of the programme.

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), continues to develop the Residency Programme as one of the core training strands of the New Theatre Market (NTM) project.

STS is a curated regional platform connecting contemporary artistic production with international touring, co-production, and collaboration opportunities. This year’s edition will take place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from September 11 to 13, 2026, while the Residency Programme – Critics will run from September 7 to 14, 2026 (including arrival and departure days).

About the Critics Residency

The Critics Residency is conceived as an intensive practice-oriented laboratory focused on contemporary theatre criticism, cultural journalism and analytical writing within the wider performing arts ecosystem. Led by Natasha Tripney, the programme combines writing workshops, discussions, collaborative analysis sessions, mentorship and direct engagement with performances presented within the Sarajevo Theatre Showcase programme.

Rather than functioning as a traditional academic programme, the residency places participants directly inside the Sarajevo Theatre Showcase ecosystem, where they work in dialogue with artists, directors, producers, playwrights and international theatre professionals attending STS.

Participants will spend more than a week inside an intensive full-day professional environment built around:

• attending and critically analysing STS performances
• contemporary approaches to theatre criticism and cultural journalism
• discussions on ethics and responsibilities of criticism
• different formats and styles of critical writing
• peer exchange and collaborative reflection
• writing assignments and mentorship feedback
• professional discussions, talks and STS events
• direct exposure to international theatre professionals

Participants will produce critical texts during the residency and receive feedback from both the Head of Studies and fellow participants throughout the programme.

Alongside track-specific sessions, participants will also attend selected shared sessions and professional activities together with the Directors Residency, Producers Residency and Atelier for Playwrights participants, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary dialogue and exchange.

This year, the programme will also place additional focus on collective reflection and post-performance discussion as an important part of the critical writing process. Following selected STS performances, participants will take part in moderated round tables and analytical discussions designed to support the development of their texts and deepen the exchange of perspectives between participants, mentors and invited professionals.

In addition to the residency process itself, selected critical texts produced during the programme will be published on the STS platform, while the programme will also work towards wider circulation and visibility of participants’ writing through collaborations with partner platforms, publications and media outlets.

Head of Studies – Natasha Tripney (UK/Serbia)

Natasha Tripney is a writer, editor and critic based in London and Belgrade. She is the international editor for The Stage and editor-in-chief of SEEstage.org, an English language platform for theatre criticism in Southeast Europe. She co-founded Exeunt, an online portal for theatre criticism and is a regular contributor to the Guardian and BBC Culture, and has written for the London Evening Standard, New York Times, Index on Censorship and Kosovo 2.0.

Eligibility

Applications are open to emerging theatre critics, writers, journalists and cultural workers from: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

The residency is intended for participants at the beginning of their professional development, including students of theatre studies, dramaturgy, literature, journalism and related fields, recently graduated writers and critics, early-career cultural journalists and individuals interested in developing their critical writing practice within an international theatre context.

We are interested in curiosity, analytical thinking, openness to dialogue and a strong motivation to engage critically with contemporary theatre and performance.

What Participation Includes

Selected participants receive:

• workshops and mentorship led by Natasha Tripney
• writing assignments and feedback sessions
• access to STS performances, talks and professional events
• participation in shared discussions and analytical sessions
• networking opportunities with regional and international theatre professionals
• festival accreditation with access to the wider STS programme
• inclusion in official STS communication materials

The organisers provide:

• accommodation with breakfast
• festival lunch during programme days
• festival accreditation

Please note: travel costs are not covered by the organisers.

Participation Requirement

The Residency Programme – Critics is an intensive full-day in-person programme. Selected participants are expected to be physically present in Sarajevo for the entire duration of the residency programme, from September 7 (arrival day) to September 14, 2026 (departure day).

Due to the collaborative and programme-based nature of the residency, partial attendance is not possible.

Timeline

Application deadline: May 31, 2026 (23:59h)
Residency Programme: September 7–14, 2026
Arrival day: September 7, 2026
Departure day: September 14, 2026

All applicants will be informed about the results by email.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the official online application form. Before starting the form, applicants are encouraged to check the application form and prepare all required information and materials in advance. The form includes detailed descriptions and guidance to help applicants understand what kind of responses are expected in each section.

Supporting materials are optional, but applicants may submit non-expiring links to published texts, reviews, articles, essays or other relevant writing samples and professional documentation. Materials should support, not replace, the written application. If links are password protected, the password must be provided. If Google Drive is used, access must be set so that the material can be viewed by anyone with the link.

Incomplete applications or applications that do not follow the submission guidelines will not be considered. For any questions regarding the application process, applicants may contact: programmes@sts.ba or adna@sts.ba 

We look forward to welcoming a new generation of theatre critics to Sarajevo Theatre Showcase 2026!