PROSPERO – EXTENDED THEATRE

Note of intention

In our contemporary context of repeated crises, which confronts Europe with the need to convince its citizens, the partners of the project intend to show that art and culture are a powerful force capable of stimulating creativity, exchange and cohesion. They believe that theatre, in particular, remains an essential place for dialogue, capable of creating real, direct, human encounters and of increasing our critical sense. Through their work, they wish to participate in the artistic and cultural development of Europe.

Thanks to the support of the Creative Europe program, the partners – strengthened by their visibility at the European level – are able to pursue their research on the issues of theatre, media and creation, with a particular focus on their evolution and modernization.

The project’s objectives

Prospero – Extended Theatre gathers ten partners (nine theatres and one media outlet, ARTE) from nine countries of the Union. In this project (running from 2020 to 2025) the partners, their respective teams and audience, as well as the involved artists, collaborate to redesign the production and distribution processes of plays, notably via the project’s streaming platform www.prospero-theatre.tv.

The project has three main goals:

  • To contribute to a more inclusive and diversified European theatre creation, with greater connection with current societal issues;
  • To broaden the dissemination of theatrical works, in theatres throughout Europe and on a shared digital space, and thereby reach new audiences;
  • To promote the sharing of good practices in terms of audience development and data-based analysis.

The project partners:

  1. Théâtre de Liège (lead partner – Belgique) supported by Wallonia-Brussels International
  2. Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione (Modena– Italia)
  3. São Luiz Teatro Municipal (Lisboa – Portugal)
  4. Göteborgs Stadsteater (Göteborg – Sverige)
  5. Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Zagrebu (Zagreb – Hrvatska)
  6. Teatros del Canal – Comunidad de Madrid (España)
  7. Schaubühne Berlin (Deutschland)
  8. Teatr Powszechny (Warszawa – Polska)
  9. Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe (Paris – France)
  10. ARTE

Our three work clusters

1 Creation and co-production

– Nine original theatre creations, chosen unanimously (each creation is accompanied by one partner). When selecting the supported performances, the partners will pay attention to the following criteria:

  • The talent of the authors, directors and actors, whether experienced or beginners;
  • The proposed dramaturgical and/or scenic research (unpublished texts, diversification of creation and rehearsal practices, inclusion of digital technologies, etc.);
  • The current relevance of the topics addressed;
  • The attention given to contemporary aesthetic issues;

– Premiere of the show at the accompanying partner’s venue and tour to a minimum of two other partners (for at least two representations each time);

2 Platform and digital content

– Development of an OTT platform dedicated to theatre and available in the whole European Union www.prospero-theatre.tv ;

– Production and online broadcasting of recordings/films of each creation, with subtitles in eight languages (the project’s seven languages and English);

– Production and online broadcasting of additional content linked to the above, with subtitles in English. For example: interviews, documentaries, recordings of rehearsals or the creation of costumes and sets, educational files, video clips produced by actors or spectators, podcasts, etc. These contents will facilitate the access to new contemporary theatre practices for audiences unfamiliar with this form of expression.

3 Audience development

– Workshops on audience development topics to enable audience development professionals to share good practices and experiences;

– Audience research based on customer data analysis (GDPR compliant).