ETC’s latest EU-funded project, "European Theatre: BREAK THE MOULD", runs from 2024-2028. It builds on ETC’s unrivalled knowledge and leading cultural partnerships across Europe to implement essential change in European Theatres on the topics of diversity, digitality and sustainability.

European Theatre faces a fight for its survival. As resources dwindle and challenges increase, ETC has created the project “European Theatre: BREAK THE MOULD”.

It offers a bold and deeply ambitious agenda – building on ETC’s unrivalled knowledge and leading cultural partnerships – to break the pattern of behaviour in European theatres, implementing essential change at speed across diversity, digitality and sustainability.

The project ensures the relevance of European Theatre as
part of Europe’s rich cultural landscape, building capacities for professionals to face the challenges of today and tomorrow. It consists of five key programmes:

BREAK THE MOULD is a response to the needs of European Theatres, modelling new approaches and practices with a circular methodology. It aims to:

  • Increasing International collaboration
  • Accessing the untapped potential in the network
  • Providing insights and direction for policy makers
  • Proposing solutions and contributing to shared goals

The upcoming activities are designed to enable pioneering, cross-Europe artistic collaboration.

Across the four years of the European Theatre: BREAK THE MOULD project will initiate and promote 28 collaborations, 54 newly created works, 76 scholarships, 12 residencies, 8 conferences, and 5 mentoring and coaching programmes.

In addition, a professional training programme with webinars and in-person workshops will be open to theatre professionals of all disciplines at ETC Member Theatres, across the key themes of digital theatre, sustainable theatre, diverse theatre, and professional development for the next generation.

Download the BREAK THE MOULD leaflet

Download an overview of key dates for international collaboration opportunities

(c) Alexandre Fytrakis

Why Join ETC?


  • Meet and network with colleagues from other European theatres
  • Create international artistic collaborations
  • Get inspired by new ideas and shared best practices
  • Be represented at European and international level
  • Discover new contexts, cities and perspectives
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