art
integration
Сompetition with a grant program from the Teal House Foundation
[ idea ]
[ idea ]
We at the Teal House Foundation invited displaced theatre professionals to take part in Art Integration, a competition designed to help them craft professional pitches and presentations, move their projects toward production, and navigate a new cultural landscape.
We understand that adapting to a new country can be daunting — especially for creatives who must preserve their artistic identity while embracing a different cultural context. That is why we built a program that offered grants, training sessions, and one‑to‑one guidance from curators, giving theatre artists the resources and space they still need for growth and integration.
helping displaced theatre makers thrive on any stage
«Art Integration created a space where artists forced from home could plant new creative roots and share what matters most to them. It was about transforming difficult transitions into opportunities for growth and belonging».
— Ivan Vyrypaev, Artistic Director Art Integration
[ chronicle of the process ]
timeline
November 2024 – June 2025
Open call
Pitching days
Mentoring sprint
Final showcase
finalists
9 projects — 4 solo creators & 5 creative teams, now based in Germany, Poland, France, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Spain — completed the full journey and developed market‑ready pitches.
guidance
4 mentors + 4 guest experts gave one‑to‑one support, while the Teal House team curated the curriculum and ran production, logistics, and communications.
milestones
40h
one‑to‑one mentoring
18
workshops
100+
invited industry professionals
€3 000
grants to every finalist
outcome
All finalists emerged with polished, international‑level pitch decks and a sharper understanding of how the theatre industry functions in their new cultural environment — exactly the upgrade Art Integration set out to deliver.
[ finalists &
their works ]
Dar G.
based in Warsaw / Poland
Emiliia Kivelevich
based in Berlin / Germany
The Night Before Christmas in Dante's Circles
Gogol meets Dante in a journey through sin, exile, and hope
Idea: In the format of a chamber site-specific opera, the aim is to create a space where the folkloric traditions of Gogol’s tale encounter contemporary art — opera — and where, through the lens of Dante’s structure of “Hell,” a contemporary dialogue about hope in a complex world emerges.
Nataliya Lizorkina
based in Tbilisi / Georgia
Name withheld for safety
based in Tbilisi / Georgia
Name withheld for safety
based in Riga / Latvia
Letter to the other side of the world
Letters across time and distance seeking connection in a divided world
Idea: A poetic and introspective performance reflecting on displacement, memory, and the invisible threads that keep us tied to those we've lost or left behind — both emotionally and geographically.
[ what we learned:
pulse of the modern theatre industry ]
From Displaced Artists and Experts
01
unlock the funds, unleash the show
Funding is theatre’s ultimate gatekeeper. The first barrier is access to institutional money — without a transparent grant system, displaced artists slip out of every application loop. Every euro counts: a micro‑grant of just €2–15 k, or simply closing the last 10 % gap in a budget, can lift a project from rehearsal room to opening night; without it, the curtain never rises.
02
producers turn ideas into tickets
Even a brilliant concept stalls without today’s backstage pros. Producers stitch together budget, people, and schedule; finance leads keep cash flowing; rights lawyers protect IP; marketers turn PR and social media buzz into bookings. In our survey, 70% of finalists said the real gap wasn’t creativity but someone to “package and sell” the work. Without that business spine, shows stay in rehearsal — brilliant but unseen.
03
networks beat bricks
Hard assets impress, but contacts sustain. Finalists say grants and gear mean little without peer groups, local allies, and online hubs that open doors to venues, visas, and micro‑funding. Community‑first theatres recovered revenues 20 % faster post‑crisis; ignore the network effect and even a shiny black‑box stays empty.
04
portable theatre pays off
Light formats slash costs — and hit the road with ease. Projector‑based sets replace ton‑heavy scenery, and a 1–4‑actor troupe needs little more than a van and two hotel rooms. That same simplicity makes touring a breeze: venues love plug‑and‑play shows that load in within minutes, so bookings multiply across regional stages and international festivals. With freight, storage, and per‑diems slashed, producers can redirect budget into digital marketing and audience work, helping the piece recoup faster and stay in repertory longer.
05
chatgpt joins the cast
Generative AI is now standard issue. Midjourney and DALL·E spin up mood‑boards and set sketches in minutes, erasing weeks of pre‑production, while ChatGPT crunches audience data, polishes grant copy, and spits out instant tour‑ready translations — the admin work that normally drags a project down. Eighty percent of our finalists tapped AI for their pitch decks, and theatres are rolling out prompt‑design bootcamps as these tools trim 15–25% off production budgets.
06
sustainability sets the standard
Green theatre has moved from nice‑to‑have to non‑negotiable. Theatre Green Book 2.0 charts a Basic → Advanced ladder toward sector‑wide net‑zero by 2030, already adopted by UK and Irish national networks. The math add up: Germany’s Hans Otto Theater cut operating costs 18 % by switching to LEDs, renting costumes, and recycling sets — then landed a €3 m grant for a climate‑neutral pilot.
Funders now demand proof: Creative Europe and Arts Council England won’t back a show unless at least 50 % of its materials are reused or recycled. Go green, or go unfunded.
07
immersion vs. observation
People don’t want to just watch — they want in. Immersive, XR‑layered theatre turns spectators into co‑creators, draws younger, more diverse crowds, and has festivals, pop‑ups, and brands clamoring for plug‑and‑play shows. XR‑savvy directors tap new grant pools and can clone their sets digitally, scaling faster than any truck‑bound tour.
08
diversity is survival
Audience diversity is no longer a nice‑to‑have; it’s the lifeline. Traditional crowds are shrinking, so theatre must court viewers who don’t see themselves in the old canon — think multilingual scripts, culture‑specific nights, and community‑led storytelling. Targeted events like “Black‑Out” performances or immigrant‑language immersive shows pull in younger, mixed‑background audiences and align the house with the city outside. Companies that ignore this shift will watch their seats — and revenues — empty out.
09
exhaustion: theatre’s silent saboteur
Burnout and anxiety have become the standard costume backstage. When brains short‑circuit, productions follow, so companies are finally giving mental health the same priority as lights and sound — hiring therapists who speak “stage,” budgeting for well‑being, and building downtime into schedules. Underestimate that need and the curtain won’t rise; the people who lift it simply won’t last.
10
art + science: the new showrunner
Cross‑disciplinary work is no longer a quirky side project — our participants and curators see it becoming the new heartbeat of contemporary theatre. Directors who pair with scientists are landing bigger grants, finding eager partners in university labs, and discovering that audiences light up when data turns into drama. Mentors report that “the lab is the next black box,” where VR rigs, motion‑capture gear, and gene‑mapping visuals give performers fresh storytelling muscles. In short: blend art with research and the doors — creative and financial — swing open wide.
[ let’s collaborate ]
become a mentor
If you’re a theatre, film, or XR professional ready to guide displaced artists, we’d love to connect.
become a partner
Venues, companies, media outlets, or anyone with resources to share: let’s build the next edition together.
host a showcase
Bring the 2025 finalists to your city or festival and put their projects on your stage.
[ what's next ]
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