Focus on your career development as a professional performing arts producer in the independent field.
In 2025, UP's popular mentoring programme will target producers. In UP's one-year mentorship programme, you get the opportunity to turbocharge your professional development as a producer.
You'll gain perspective on your professional practice, as well as sparring, no matter where you are in your career. You will be matched with a qualified mentor who has valuable experience and insights that are relevant to you.
As a new addition to the mentoring programme, the programme's mentees are this time offered an in-depth, paid, one-week internship with an experienced performing arts producer in the project-supported field.
Mentees & mentors 2025
Arna Lára Pétursdòttir, Mentee with Sigrid Aakvik
Performing arts producer with experience from the independent field (KIC), now permanent employee at AFUK Scene and freelancer for The Nordic Beasts, among others. Passionate about developing, producing and presenting innovative performing arts.
Sigrid Aakvik, Mentor for Arna Lára Pétursdòttir
Founder of ART & ABOUT. Sigrid has worked as an international producer in Denmark for 15 years and has experience from international networking, festivals and production houses.
Betina Rex, Mentor for Norma Skretting
Betina Rex is a dramaturge and until July 2025 part of the artistic management of HAUT. For the past ten years, she has primarily worked in the independent field, working with various artists, companies and organisations.
Norma Skretting, Mentee with Betina Rex
Cand. mag. in Dramaturgy, and works as a junior producer at Art & About, a Nordic agency for performing arts. Norma is originally from Norway and has lived in Aarhus for the past six years.
Mikkel Søndergaard Kryger, Mentor for Line Lybek Witt
Producer and co-founder of prfrm - production and communication of performing arts based in Copenhagen. Mikkel has a background as a producer and PR manager from a number of theatres and companies, and has worked with state and municipal arts funding and cultural policy.
Line Lybek Witt, Mentee with Mikkel Søndergaard Kryger
Line has worked with production and culture since 2017 on various projects with different actors in the Aarhus area, but has been at Teater Fluks since 2022, where she now works as a producer. With a background as an archaeologist, Line is self-taught in the production part of the performing arts.
Sarah Garde, Mentor for Laura Hagen Aagaard
BA in Theatre Studies and cand. mag in Modern Culture and Cultural Communication with a profile in music/arts management. Rounded off by a background as a consultant in the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces' Office for Music and Performing Arts, but has now for many years worked on the floor (and in the field), as an administrator and creative producer. Since 2018 at Kitt Johnson X-act, Copenhagen.
Laura Hagen Aagaard, Mentee with Sarah Garde
Laura Hagen Aagaard, creative producer at MØR collective: "What I especially love about being a part of MØR collective is the flow of being very close to the projects, weaving in and out between my many different roles and really feeling that in our loving community we create projects that might make a difference in the world."
Target group:
This seventh edition of UP's one-year mentorship programme is specifically aimed at performing arts producers who collaborate with self-producing artists and companies in the project-supported field.
This is not a training programme, but a sparring and development process in which you can strengthen your existing professionalism and practice over the course of a year with a mentor.
Therefore, at the time of application, you are expected to have at least two years of relevant experience as a producer in the performing arts and to have an ambition for a career in the project-supported field.
UP's mentoring programme is aimed at both experienced and less experienced producers, with the focus being that your participation as a mentee in the programme should be a springboard for a step up in your career.
The special focus on the producer layer is due to the fact that the function of the performing arts producer has evolved in recent years. There is a stronger demand for structural and administrative professionalisation, and there is a distinct lack of producers in the field.
For new producers, the accumulation of the many professional skills can seem confusing in a project-based and often precarious working life, which may be one reason why many choose to leave the producer profession - or the project-supported field in general - after a short time.
The producer, in close collaboration with the creative artist, handles tasks within a wide range of disciplines; financing, project management, internationalisation, network management, strategic development, PR and administration. This places high demands on the producer's professionalism and practice.
UP's focus on producers in this edition of our popular mentoring programme stems from a desire to support the development and strengthening of the producer team.
What does the mentoring programme contain?
The mentoring programme is organised by you and your mentor. Mentors and mentees are selected by an external UP curator.
In your application, you can define the themes and focus that are relevant to you.
Management awareness, self-management and management dilemmas as a producer - Business development and entrepreneurship as a freelance producer - The sustainable producer-hood - Defining your practice - Challenges in the pairing with the artistic director - Clarifying competencies - The producer's many professional skills
...or something completely different.
In addition to the mentoring programme, mentees are offered an in-depth, paid one-week internship with an experienced performing arts producer in the project-supported field. Here you will have the opportunity to strengthen your network and to immerse yourself in specific producer competencies.
This will be an observational internship where you will follow a performing arts producer around, but during the internship week, three counselling meetings will be held where the internship site will be available for practical training at your request.
The choice and agreement with the internship is made by UP after a conversation with the mentee and mentor.
Mentees will be asked for a short debriefing at the end of the one-year programme. There will be minor evaluations and feedback along the way.
Past mentoring programmes
Ar Utke Ács (contemporary dance artist and extended choreography) & Emma Castro Møller (Co-Director of Warehouse9)
Jeppe Alsgaard Pachaï (Danish/Iranian actor and performing artist) & Gry Worre Hallberg (PhD, artistic director of Sisters Hope)
Lasse Mouritzen (working in the field between urban dramaturgy and artistic development) & Marie Viltoft Polli (producer at Helsingør Theatre)
Ida Michael Kiberg (freelance stage director, producer, dramaturg, librettist and caster) & Maria Frej (head of MusikTeatret)
Linn Haldrup Lorenzen (freelance theatre artist and works as a performer, director, teacher and concept developer) & Anika Barkan (performance-maker)
Lars Werner Thomsen (director and former artistic director of Glad Theatre) & Anne Mette Nørskov (coordinator of Danish Contemporary Circus)
Anja Ohlsen (freelance performance dramaturg) & Trine Wisbech (dramaturg, script consultant and creative producer)
Jesper Pedersen (freelance playwright, director, and creative producer) & Eva Præstiin (director of Betty Nansen Teatret)
Filip Robin Vest (visual artist and performer) & Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen (mentor and visual artist, as well as professor of Time-Based and Performance Art at the Bergen Academy of Fine Arts).
Anne Gry Henningsen (actor and artistic director of MÆRKVÆRK) & Jens Frimann Hansen (mentor and theatre director at Helsingør Theatre, and the street festivals PASSAGE and SO Festival in England).
Katinka Hurvig Møller (director, playwright and co-founder of the theatre collective MAGMA) & Pernille Møller Taasinge (mentor and development manager at Aaben Dans)
Katrine Faber (actor, voice artist, director, composer and storyteller) & Nina Kareis (mentor and stage director and artistic director of Livingstones Kabinet)
Lara Vejrup Ostan (choreographer) & Gry Raaby (mentor and producer for Institute of Interconnected Realities, Visible Effects and Recoil Performance Group. Part of the choreographer collective RISK, and close collaborator with Kunstkollektivet FAMILIEN)
Maja Ravn Christensen (dramaturg and production coordinator) & Anneline Köhler Juul (mentor and creative producer at sART Dance Theatre and scriptwriter).
Nanna Stigsdatter Mathiassen (dancer and choreographer) & Tina Tarpgaard (mentor and artistic director and choreographer at recoil performance group).
Tali Rázga (artistic director of Gazart) & Marianna Klint (mentor and theatre director of Aveny-T).
Trine Rosa Bonde (playwright and actor) & Line Rosvoll (mentor and artistic director of Dramatikkens hus).
Anna Panduro (actor) & Lisbeth Klixbüll (mentor and former theatre director of Aaben Dans, coach and former dancer)
Stina Strange Thue (artistic producer at Convoi Exceptionnel/DeLeónCompany, performing choreographer/dancer and writer) & Marie Haugsted Mors (mentor and artistic process consultant at The Royal Danish Ballet since 2013)
Helga Rosenfeldt-Olsen (performing artist and artistic director at WunschMachine) & Sara Topsøe-Jensen (mentor and freelance director, set designer, performer and artistic director of Carte Blanche and artistic partner in Art of Listening)
Ida Marie Fich (creative producer at dance company The Nordic Beasts, and freelance producer for theatres and independent performing arts groups) & Maja Ries (mentor and former administrative manager and producer at Blaagaard Teater (formerly Teater Grob))
Sarah Rysgaard Jensen (producer at Teatret Møllen) & Laura Ramberg (mentor and former administrative manager for Husets Teater and Café Teatret)
Christina Korsholm Mattson (PR and Communications Manager at Syddjurs Egnsteater) & Camilla Hasseriis Diezt (mentor and PR and Communications Manager at Helsingør Theatre and PASSAGE Festival)
Helle Fuglsang (artistic director of Wilma Version) & Louise Beck (mentor and artistic director of OPE-N and TRAVERS)
Maj Rafferty (film artist and director at Vesterbro Kælderteater) & Naja Lee Jensen (mentor and artistic director of HAUT and performing artist).
Pernille Garde (choreographer & artistic director at Pernille Garde Stage Art) & Marie Brolin-Tani (SE) (mentor and artistic director at Black Box Dance Company)
Eja Due (performing artist & artistic director at Teater Bæst) & Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen (mentor and visual & performance artist)
Katrine Elise Leth Nielsen (freelance performer, actor and performing artist) & Anja Behrens (mentor, director and playwright)
Rebekka Sofie Bohse Meyer (performance designer) & Tina Tarpgaard (mentor and choreographer and artistic director at Recoil Performance Group and Sydhavn Teater from 2023)
Tone Haldrup Lorenzen (managing & artistic director at CuntsCollective & Katrien Verwilt (mentor and leader at Metropolis /KIT)
Kristoffer Louis Andrup Pedersen, (founder, artistic director and choreographer at DON GNU) & Per Kap Bech Jensen (mentor and administrator at Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium - Odin Teatret)
Simone Wierød (self-producing choreographer) & Lotte Kofod Ludvigsen (mentor and head of the Culture Secretariat at Syddjurs Municipality)
Karoline Holm Michelsen, Producer at Fix+Foxy/MÆRKVÆRK/freelance) & Mette Wolf (mentor and theatre director at Nørrebro Teater)
Astrid Hansen Holm (creative producer and dramaturg at Vontrapp) & Mikkel Harder Munck-Hansen (mentor and managing director at Nordic House, Reykjavik, former artistic director for drama at the Royal Danish Theatre)
Helene Kvint (artist at CoreAct) & Ragnheiður Skúladóttir (mentor and artistic director at Festspillene i Nord-Norge)
Charlotte Calberg (freelance set designer) & Vibeke Windeløv (mentor and former director at Betty Nansen Teatret and film producer)
Rasmus Malling Lykke Skov (artistic director at Teater Fluks) & Cathie Boyd (mentor and director at Cryptic)
Gitte Kielberg (artistic director at Teatret Kimbri) & Jens Frimann Hansen (mentor and director at Helsingør Theatre and artistic director at PASSAGE Festival and SO-Festival)
Teresa Ariosto (freelance producer) & Ulla Katrine Friis (mentor and manager at Hotel Pro Forma)
Gry Worre Hallberg (artistic director at Sisters Hope) & Eileen Evans (mentor and managing director at Forced Entertainment)
My Grönholdt (artistic director at MYKA) & Sari Lakso (producer at Kallo Collective)
Mette Rønne (artistic director at KULTURMARKT) & Per Scheel (mentor and former artistic director at Teater Grob)
David Price (producer at Holstrebro Theatre) & Mette Bryndum (mentor and managing director at Sort/Hvid).
Gritt Uldall-Jessen (Nydanskeren Jimbuts Kulturforening) & Eva Hartmann (mentor and international general manager, producer and drama advisor for the German/English art collective Gob Squad)
Sarah S. Rommedahl (event manager at CPH STAGE and producer at Teater Bæst) & Gianni Bettucci (mentor and manager at FamilienFlöz)
Laila Skovmand (singer, composer and artistic director of Between Music) & Henk Keizer (mentor, curator and project manager)
Mathilde Johnsen (producer at Sydhavn Teater) & Lotte Kofoed Ludvigsen (mentor and creative producer at Teatret Svalegangen)
Betina Rex (dramaturg, producer with PR and communication in the performing arts in Denmark with a focus on dance, physical theatre and new circus) & Louise Richards (mentor and manager of Motionhouse)
Jonas Schou Hansen (creative producer at GLIMT and performer) & Thorkild Andreasen (mentor and CEO at Carte Blanche)
Karen Toftegaard (entrepreneur and owner of Karen Toftegaard ApS) & Elisabeth Casanova (mentor and manager of Nova Touring and singer)
Andreas Dawe (actor, playwright and director of AKUT 360) & Susanne Danig (mentor and director of Danig Performing Arts Service)
Marion Vick (theatre director at Teateriet Apropos) & Helle Haagen (mentor and daily elder of C:NTACT)
Poul Udbye Pock-Steen (musician, organist and composer) & Hans Christian Gimbel (mentor and head of finance and administration at Aalborg Theatre and initiator, co-creator and former director of Theatre Republique)