PROSPERO NEW: A New European Wave in Theater

The Prospero New European Wave (Prospero NEW) is the first theatre platform recognized by the European Commission. It builds on the legacy of the Prospero network. Established in 2006 by six theatrical organizations, Prospero has contributed to the artistic and cultural construction of Europe, enabling both emerging and established artists to work on stages across Europe and beyond, for confronting each other to advance certain changes in theatrical art and to meet other audiences. Over time, the group, which expanded to nine members, developed a streaming platform, Prospero TV, to facilitate the online dissemination of theatrical works.
Following various projects and the integration of new partners, Prospero has evolved into a European theatrical platform with 19 members, now known as Prospero NEW.
Over four years (2025–2028), the platform aims to discover and promote emerging artists—mostly directors— wanting to reach a new European step.

Members of Prospero NEW

1 Théâtre de Liège (Coordinating Organization) – Belgium, Liège
2 Temporada Alta Festival – Spain, Girona
3 Centro Cultural de Belém – Portugal, Lisbon
4 Ivan Zajc Croatian National Theatre – Croatia, Rijeka
5 Dublin Theatre Festival – Ireland, Dublin
6 Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione – Italy, Modena
7 Göteborg Dance and Theatre Festival (Goteborgs Stadsteater) – Sweden, Gothenburg
8 Avignon Festival – France, Avignon
9 Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre – Ukraine, Kyiv
10 Ivan Vazov National Theatre – Bulgaria, Sofia
11 Kaunas National Drama Theatre – Lithuania, Kaunas
12 National Theatre Prague – Czech Republic, Prague
13 NTGent – Belgium, Ghent
14 Onassis Stegi – Greece, Athens
15 Powszechny Theatre – Poland, Warsaw
16 Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz – Germany, Berlin
17 Sibiu International Theatre Festival – Romania, Sibiu
18 Tbilisi International Theatre Festival – Georgia, Tbilisi
19 Wiener Festwochen – Austria, Vienna

Prospero NEW: Project’s outline

The project will leverage the experience, intuition, and geographical diversity of its members to identify talented artists from across Europe. Members will then support these artists in various ways:
⊲ Enabling selected artists to develop their projects through international residencies and mentoring programs;
⊲ Producing their projects;
⊲ Showcasing their works;
⊲ Sharing online content to document their creative processes;
⊲ Offering them visibility and networking opportunities.

Additionally, the project will undertake communication activities aimed at developing a brand and label for the platform—providing international visibility and recognition for supported artists. It will also carry out research on sectoral challenges, including contemporary issues of sustainability and diversity. These research activities will foster dialogue between art and science while strengthening the theater sector by providing a space for reflection on its current state and future possibilities.
In terms of governance, the project will promote close collaboration among all members, implement robust measures for sustainability and diversity, and place artists’ working conditions at the center of its activities. The platform will help selected artists grow at a European level, enable members to Europeanize their activities and programming, and deepen audience engagement with international works.

Project Duration: January 2025 – December 2028 (4 years)

PROSPERO NEW TOURING

The first wave of performances labeled Prospero NEW for the European tour has been finalized. Below are the 24 projects that make up Wave 1.
The second wave (approximately 25 projects) will be discussed during the meeting in Sofia and announced in June 2025.
Waves 3 and 4 will be selected in 2026.

Théâtre de Liège
⊲ Héritage – Written by Maja Zade – Directed by Cédric Eeckhout

Temporada Alta
⊲ Trilogy: Joan Brossa Didn’t Make Me; Demons; Flowers and Journeys – By Cabosanroque (Laia Torrents Carulla, Roger Aixut Sampietro)
⊲ The Beaver That Cried – By Cabosanroque (Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Bruno Latour, Timothy Morton, Donna J. Haraway, Philipp Blom and Bernie Krause)

Centro Cultural de Belém
⊲ One More Seagull – By Miguel Fragata

Dublin Theatre Festival
⊲ Where Sat the Lovers – Written by Carys Coburn with MALAPROP – Directed by Claire O’Reilly
⊲ Bulk – By Shaun Dunne

Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione
⊲ A Place of Safety – By Kepler-452, Nicola Borghesi and Enrico Baraldi

Gothenburg Dance and Theatre Festival
⊲ The Little Girl with Gortsa – By Rasmus Lindgren and Eleftheria Gerofoka

Festival d’Avignon
⊲ Leviathan – Written by Guillaume Poix – Directed by Lorraine de Sagazan
⊲ Neandertal – By David Geselson

Ivan Franko National Drama Theatre
⊲ Caligula – Written by Albert Camus – Directed by Ivan Urivsky

Ivan Vazov National Theatre
⊲ The Elementary Particles – Written by Michel Houellebecq – Directed by Kris Sharkov

National Kaunas Drama Theatre
⊲ Snow White – By Dr. GoraParasit

National Theatre in Prague
⊲ I Am Romantically Scattering My Own Ashes – By Linda Dušková

NT Gent
⊲ Trouble Score – By Luanda Casella & Pablo Casella

Onassis Stegi
⊲ The House – By Dmitris Karatzas
⊲ Mami – By Mario Banushi

Powszechny Teatr
⊲ Mein Kampf – Directed by Jakub Skrzywanek
⊲ The Melodrama – By Anna Smolar

Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz
⊲ All Good (Working Title) – By Marco Layera
⊲ Genesis – By Bastian Reiber

Sibiu International Theater Festival
⊲ Woyzeck – Written by Georg Büchner – Directed by Hunor Horváth and Edith Buttingsrud Pedersen

Tbilisi International Festival of Theatre
⊲ The Pitchfork Disney – Collective Direction

Wiener Festwochen
⊲ Cuntslime Power Against Predatory Kaputtalismus – By Mateja Meded