The New Theatre Institute of Latvia, as part of the Magic Carpets network, invites applications for an artist residency in Riga. This residency is organised in collaboration with the Choreographers’ Association, Latvijas Neredzīgo Biedrība (Latvian Association of the Blind), and a local dance artist, fostering an inclusive and collaborative artistic environment.

Residency Theme:
Inclusive Movement and Accessibility
This residency focuses on making contemporary dance accessible and engaging for visually impaired communities. Artists will explore creative approaches that emphasise empathy, dialogue, and shared artistic expression. The project highlights the transformative potential of dance in fostering social inclusion and community engagement.

Location:
The residency will be hosted at the Strazdumuiža, the venue of the Latvian Association of the Blind, a space regularly used by the visually impaired community for various activities. This setting will provide a meaningful and accessible environment for both workshops and collaborative sessions.

Involved Communities:
The primary participants will be members of the visually impaired community connected to the Latvian Association of the Blind. In addition, the artist will collaborate with local dance professionals, providing specialised classes on how to work with visually impaired people, sharing knowledge, skills, and inclusive teaching strategies.

Community Engagement:
Artists will engage the community through participatory workshops, interactive sessions, and knowledge-sharing with local dance professionals. The residency will begin with meetings to understand the community’s perspectives, followed by collaborative creation and development of the final event.

Final Event:
The residency will culminate on 18 April 2025 with a public presentation and interactive sessions. While the creative process focuses on the visually impaired community, the final event will also include elements demonstrating inclusive dance practices for a wider audience, highlighting the collaborative work developed during the residency.

Residency Timeline:

Start: Late March 2025;

Duration: Approximately four weeks;

Weekly workshops with the community in Strazdumuiža and  4-5 classes with local contemporary dance artists;

Final Event: 18th of April 2025;

Language: English language skills are required to participate in the residency

Artist Profiles:

 We seek one international contemporary dance artist who:

• Has experience working with visually impaired individuals through movement-based practices;
  
  
• Has developed and applied a structured methodology tailored to this community;
  
  
• Possesses both practical expertise and contextual knowledge relevant to inclusive dance practices;
• Is open to collaboration with local artists, community members, and dance professionals;
  
  
• Is interested in social inclusion, accessibility, and participatory approaches in the arts;

• Artists who are EU citizens, have the right to reside in the EU, or are from Creative Europe-eligible countries.

Residency Conditions:

• Artist Fee: €1200 (gross)
  
  
• Travel and Accommodation: Covered
  
  
• Collaboration: Opportunity to work with a local dance artist and provide classes for local professionals
  
  
• Support: Mentorship and facilitation provided by the residency team
  
  

Application:
Please submit the following in English:

• CV or resume
  
  
• Short motivational letter (max. 1 page)
  
  
• Portfolio or examples of previous work, including previous experience working with the visually impaired community
  
  

Applications should be sent to: contact@theatre.lv

Deadline of applications: 23rd of February, 2026

Results by: 26th of February, 2026

New Theatre Institute of Latvia (NTIL) is a project-based organisation working in the field of contemporary performing arts. Since 1995, NTIL has been organizing the International Festival of Contemporary Theatre Homo Novus, which is the largest performing arts platform in Latvia. NTIL also produces and presents projects and long-term collaboration programmes together with local and international partners, strongly believing in the necessity to explore the contemporary performing arts field together with artists and audiences.

“Magic Carpets” is a Creative Europe platform uniting 17 European cultural organisations (14 active members and 3 partners for 2025–2028). It supports emerging artists as they embark on creative journeys in unfamiliar lands, working with local communities to produce new artworks that highlight local identities, enhance storytelling, and promote cultural accessibility and activism.

For more information, visit:
https://theatre.lv/category/magic-carpets/
https://magiccarpets.eu

“Magic Carpets” platform and artist residencies are co-funded by the EU’s Creative Europe programme.