With the English-language edition of the 2027 Mentoring Program for Newcomers, we are looking for artists and culture makers of all ages who are planning to begin working in Berlin’s independent performing arts community and who are pursuing a specific project.
Experienced mentors, including, amongst others, artists, curators, dramaturgs and producers as well as representatives of established performance venues and institutions within Berlin’s independent performing arts community support newcomers from all work areas and genres within the independent performing arts.

In each Group, twelve mentees are closely supported and mentored by their mentors over the course of nine months in individual sessions. Alongside the individual sessions, several networking events as well as a two-day seminar provide opportunities to exchange and deepen knowledge about production and distribution. 

The working language for group events in the 2027 Mentoring Program for Newcomers will be English spoken language.

The 2027 Mentoring Program for Newcomers includes

– Advisement from experienced mentors in the form of regular individual sessions during the program period of nine months

– A two-day seminar in English spoken language about project development and project realization and additional topics concerning production and distribution

– Three network meetings over the course of the program in which the mentees have the opportunity to present their projects and network within the Group; chances to meet and exchange with the alumni network are also provided

– Access to a high-quality and open network for the independent performing arts community as well as additional open networking meetings

– Additional support from the coordinators of the Mentoring Program

– Access to the additional opportunities provided by the Berlin Performing Arts Program

Requirements for Participation

A mandatory prerequisite for taking part in the 2027 Mentoring Program for Newcomers is that the participants have their work based in Berlin for the next year and understand being a part of the program as a priority.

Potential participants in the program should, after having made their first experiences in their artistic field and contacts within the independent performing arts community, be planning their in-depth entry into the independent performing arts community in Berlin.

They should, for example: 

– Have been active in Berlin for 2 years

– Have already had their first experiences in project development

– Have realized their first projects independently as part of other constellations

– Have basic knowledge of the funding landscape, production houses and working methods in the independent performing arts community

The working language of the group events in English, so the participants should have good written and spoken proficiency in English spoken language.

We expect that the mentees are able to work on their own initiative and that they will independently coordinate the individual coaching sessions with the mentors as well as continuously take part in all opportunities offered by the Mentoring Program (individual sessions, seminars and networking meetings) for the entire duration of the program.

Application

The representation of the diversity of society within our structures is our goal. We thus expressly invite people from marginalized groups to apply. We are happy to discuss what we can do in order to remove any barriers that still exist.

We ask you to please submit a resume that clearly illustrates your previous professional/artistic development as well as a statement of motivation that clarifies your outlook and plans for the coming 9 months as well as your desire for participating in the program: What would I like to work on? What aspects do I need support in? What do I expect from the mentoring and from the additional parts of the program? What do I desire from my exchanges with the Group as well as the networking with alumni/ae? What artistic and professional goals am I following in the long-term? In addition, you are welcome to provide additional references.

If the submission deadline cannot be complied with due to disability or chronic illness, please send us a brief statement of interest. In these cases, it may be possible for an application to be submitted afterward and/or in the form of an audio file (max. 2 minutes) or a video file (max. 2 minutes) via SwissTransfer.

After the end of the application process, the program coordinators and Director of the Performing Arts Program will make a formal preselection. The mentors themselves are responsible for the subsequent ultimate selections of the members of the Group.

The kick-off event in December 2026 will be followed over the additional course of the program by seminar at the end of February/beginning of March 2027, a networking meeting in May 2027 and the final event in September 2027. The exact dates will be announced at the beginning of the program.