Shifting the Stage

Shifting the Stage offers professional and international artist development and exchange for artists with disabilities, deaf/hearing impaired and/or neurodivergent artists. The aim is to support the development of new production ideas led by artists with disabilities for a young audience. The project is a collaboration between four festivals that all produce national performing arts festivals for children and young people.

Through the project, space is created in our festivals and other events to share knowledge and experiences with national and international networks. The collaboration aims to build a Nordic community of artists with disabilities who are engaged in or interested in art for young audiences. Together, we want to contribute to the sector not only talking about accessible performances for audiences with disabilities, but also about performances led by artists with disabilities.

We are very pleased to have received support from the Nordic Culture Fund to conduct a five-day Lab in January 2026 for eight invited artists, two from each country. As part of the Lab, workshops and networking meetings will be arranged that will be open to artists with functional variations and neurodivergent artists in Norway.

The year-long project in 2026 is supported by Nordic Culture Contact.

Partners:

• bibu Festival, Helsingborg, Sweden (leader)
• Bravo Festival, Helsinki, Finland
• Imaginate / Edinburgh International Children's Festival, Scotland
• Showbox Festival / Scenekunstbruket , Oslo, Norway