UTE Academy 2026 is an international training programme designed for young actors at the beginning of their professional journey. Organised as a series of four interconnected, seven-day residencies across Europe, the Academy brings together emerging talent nominated by UTE member theatres for an intensive, shared learning experience.
Each residency functions as a focused module, combining workshops, masterclasses, and collaborative practice. The modules are conceived as a continuous process: each residency builds upon the skills, methods, and artistic questions developed in the previous one. The programme culminates in Thessaloniki, where participants consolidate their collaborative work and present it in front of an audience.
Vision and Objectives
The UTE Academy is conceived as a travelling laboratory—a space for research, experimentation, and exchange—aimed at re-examining and revitalising the role of text-based and repertory theatre within today’s evolving theatrical landscape.
By focusing on young actors, the project fosters a direct and meaningful connection between established theatre institutions and emerging professionals, encouraging dialogue across generations, practices, and cultural contexts.
Modular Residencies & Schedule
Module 1 — Dramaturgy
Rome, Italy | Teatro India – Teatro di Roma 2–8 February 2026 An exploration of dramatic texts—classic and contemporary—focusing on their evolution, relevance, and interpretative possibilities. Hosted in a venue known for openness and experimentation, this module lays the conceptual foundation for the Academy.
Module 2 — Exploring the Stage
Prague, Czech Republic | Prague City Theatres 13–20 April 2026 Held alongside the Nová Komedie Festival, this module focuses on innovative staging and performance practices. Participants engage with physical language, spatial awareness, and ensemble dynamics.
Module 3 — Building the Text
Sofia, Bulgaria | Sfumato Theatre Laboratory 1–7 July 2026 Taking place during the Small Season Festival, this residency explores new approaches to adaptation and creation. The focus is on re-activating traditional plays while developing original material through experimental dramaturgical processes.
Module 4 — Confronting the Audience
Thessaloniki, Greece | National Theatre of Northern Greece 14–20 September 2026 The final residency brings the process together, concentrating on the performer–audience relationship. Participants explore presentation formats, including site-specific and socially responsive work, and share their outcomes with an audience.
Curriculum Overview
The Academy unfolds as a progressive learning journey:
Dramaturgy In-depth analysis of dramatic texts, examining themes, contexts, and artistic choices that shape character and narrative.
Exploring the Stage Practical work on movement, physical expression, spatial composition, ensemble collaboration, and the integration of scenography, lighting, and sound.
Building the Text Creative strategies for adaptation and authorship, blending traditional dramaturgy with experimental forms, multimedia elements, and non-linear storytelling.
Confronting the Audience Investigation of audience engagement through direct address, immersive and participatory formats, and performances rooted in contemporary social contexts.
Instructors & Mentorship
Each module is guided by three experienced instructors or mentors who bring together different perspectives and areas of expertise. One mentor is appointed by UTE, another by the hosting theatre, while a third - Nuno Cardoso, the project's coordinator, accompanies the group throughout all four residencies. This continuous presence ensures artistic and pedagogical continuity across the programme, supporting the participants’ development and strengthening the collective learning process.
UTE Academy 2026 is a journey across stages, texts, and encounters, designed to support young actors as they shape their artistic voice within a shared European context. Through dialogue between tradition and experimentation, the project reimagines the place of text and repertory theatre today, nurturing collaboration, curiosity, and responsibility toward the audience. Moving from city to city, the Academy affirms theatre as a living practice—one that is learned together, tested in front of others, and renewed through collective experience.
