Young Dance Artists and Curators in Rural Areas
4-5 November 2025, hosted by Oriente Occidente in Rovereto, Italy
What does it mean to be a young cultural worker, curator, producer, choreographer, or emerging artist, operating in rural and peripheral areas today?
How can we open up new spaces, opportunities, and forms of empowerment for those who choose to work in the contemporary dance field outside of metropolitan centres?
The Atelier - hosted by Oriente Occidente in Rovereto - has created a shared space for exchanging experiences, addressing challenges, and experimenting with new approaches to working both locally and transnationally.
Co-designed by a group of young professionals from EDN member organisations, the programme combined discussions, workshops, and embodied practices, inviting participants to reflect together while learning from each other.
Inside the Atelier
Discover what young cultural workers say they need to thrive in rural areas. Why long-term relationships matter, how clearer ways of communicating artistic work can open new doors, and why involving local audiences as active partners makes projects stronger. You’ll also find insights on the power of peer support networks and the shared call to slow down, listen, and let ideas grow.
Programme and Speakers
Meet the speakers and facilitators leading the sessions, from storytelling and conversation exercises to embodied practices and collaborative projects.
Who was invited?
This Atelier was created with and for young professionals in dance. We especially welcomed curators, choreographers, producers, and artists at the beginning of their careers. EDN member organisations were invited to share the invitation with their young colleagues and artists.
This Atelier was the first onsite workshop within the EDN’s YOUNG Working Group, dedicated to community-engaged practices focused on young audiences, artists and professionals.
EDN travel support
EDN offered travel support for a limited number of participants from the network’s YOUNG working group, EDN member organisations and their associated freelance communities.
The travel reimbursement could not exceed the maximum travel contribution amount, as calculated here, and included 2 per diems at 40€ per day. EDN booked and covered up to 2 nights of accommodation for up to 7 participants.
A participation fee of 150€ was invoiced to the participant or their organisation. If a cancellation occurred less than 7 days before the activity, the participation fee will not be refunded.
Travel support could include a top-up from EDN's Green Travel Programme to cover additional costs of slow or low-impact travel.
To offset additional access needs, participants could apply for a top-up from EDN's Accessibility Travel Programme.
Selection criteria for EDN travel support
In cases where the number of applications exceeds the available travel support, allocation was based on the following criteria, in order of priority:
How to participate without EDN travel support
It was possible to join the Atelier without receiving EDN’s travel support. The attendance was free of charge. Check individual mobility calls from Culture Moves Europe or On-the-Move Mobility Funding Guides to help fund your trip.
Registration
Participants were invited to register by 12 October 2025
Contact
For any questions concerning the Atelier, reach out to Lucrezia Ponzano at lucrezia[at]ednetwork.eu
Attribution
This EDN Atelier is made possible by Embodied Transformations, EDN’s EU-funded network project. It connects contemporary dance professionals, organisations, and communities across Europe to foster a transformative and interdependent dance ecosystem.
EDN is a Spain-based organisation. The participation of Spanish artists and cultural professionals is made possible by INAEM, the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music of Spain.