The Danish Theater Association’s annual Theater Seminar is a trade fair where the vast majority of productions suitable for touring in Denmark are purchased.
Productions are pitched from the main stage, and UP has a booth featuring a selection of productions that buyers can explore further and discuss with the artists behind them.
UP offers selected artists the opportunity to participate as a group, as well as a preparatory and skills-building workshop leading up to the seminar, where we provide you with know-how regarding touring, sales, and pitching at the seminar, and equip you with concrete tools to make your tour in Denmark a reality.
The Theater Seminar will take place in Kolding from November 20–22, 2026.
How do I apply?
The Danish Arts Foundation’s Project Support Committee for Performing Arts selects the participants for the UP program at the Theater Seminar. To be eligible, your production must be registered with Turnénetværk Danmark.
The deadline for applications to the Danish Arts Foundation for inclusion in Turnénetværk Danmark is June 22, 2026.
When you apply for inclusion in this program, you can check a box indicating whether you wish to be considered for participation in ‘Independent Performing Arts at the THEATER SEMINAR in 2026’. This is how you apply to participate in UP at the Theater Seminar.
Inclusion in Turnénetværk Danmark can give you an advantage in the form of a deficit guarantee for Turnénetværk venues when they purchase the included works. The purpose of the program is to ensure that niche works reach a wider audience throughout the country.
What do I get as a participant?
UP equips you so you’re ready to pitch and sell your production to one or more of the country’s many theater associations.
- A full-day preparatory workshop—here you’ll hear presentations on selling touring productions at the Theater Seminar and have the opportunity to ask questions of former participants. The workshop is mandatory.
- UP secures and covers your ticket, accommodation, and transportation to the seminar
- UP ensures that you can pitch your production from the Theater Seminar’s main stage
- One person from the artistic team may participate in the workshop and attend the Theater Seminar with UP.
What you get
As a participant in the initiative, UP offers you a preparatory and qualifying course leading up to the seminar, including a mandatory full-day workshop focusing on pitch, sales and dialogue with buyers. The purpose is to give you the know-how and concrete tools to succeed in the context of the Danish touring market. This is valid for one person.
During the workshop, you will receive feedback on your pitch from a visual marketing specialist, you will be introduced to the Theatre Seminar and the Touring Network as a market, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions to previous participants.
UP ensures that you can pitch your production from the Theater Seminar’s main stage, in front of participating theater groups and other organizers.
You’ll receive free admission for one person as part of a shared booth, with a five-minute pitch on the main stage.
In addition, the costs of your ticket, accommodation, and transportation to the seminar and for the workshop will be covered.
Find UP’s guide to touring on UPgrade here.
Find UP’s guide to the Theater Seminar here.
Find UP’s guide to giving a great pitch on UPgrade here.
More about how to apply:
You can only apply to join UP’s professional development program and participate in the Theater Seminar if you apply to the Danish Arts Foundation’s “Turnénetværk Danmark” program via kunst.dk with one or more of your productions.
You must check the specific box on the portal to be considered (see image below).
The deadline for applications to the Danish Arts Foundation’s “Turnénetværk Danmark” program—inclusion of works—is June 22, 2026.
You can read more about Turnénetværk here: https://www.turneteater.dk/
Five to seven companies will be selected.
The selection is made solely by the Danish Arts Foundation’s Project Support Committee for Performing Arts.
Responses will be provided in mid-September.
Guide to the Agency for Culture and Palaces’ Application Portal
When you apply, you will be redirected from the Danish Arts Foundation to the Agency for Culture and Palaces’ application portal. Here you will find the checkbox you must select to be considered for one of UP’s 5–7 spots at the Theater Seminar.
Photo: screenshot from the Danish Arts Foundation to the Agency for Culture and Palaces application portal
Application Guide
At the Theater Seminar with UP?
How to apply
How to Be Selected
About UP at the Theater Seminar
UP at the Theater Seminar is an initiative in which five to seven artists or companies, selected by the Danish Arts Foundation’s Project Support Committee for the Performing Arts, participate in a professional development program focused on pitching, tour sales, and tour production, organized by UP.
The initiative is aimed at companies that have no prior experience with the Theater Seminar and who may, more generally, be new to the touring market.
The aim is to equip the participating companies to sell their performances for tours in Denmark, to strengthen their networks with buyers, and to provide an overview of what touring entails in terms of production and administration.
Cikaros with the piece The Fall
Daily Fiction with the piece ØNSKER in SKY
The subsidiary with the piece Soldier Mother
Herisi with the piece AN ANGRY WOMAN
Prox Studio with the piece Robotic Bloom
toaspern|moeller with the piece __plex
Wilma Version with the piece Surpassed Only by Reality
How to get in the programme:
You can apply to be part of UP's qualifying programme and the joint participation at the Theatre Seminar if you apply to the Danish Arts Foundation's scheme Turnénetværk Danmark via kunst.dk with one or more of your performances.
You must tick the special box on the portal to be considered (see image below).
The deadline for applications to the Danish Arts Foundation's Touring Network Denmark program was June 2, 2025
You can read more about the Tour Network here: https://www.turneteater.dk/
The selection of participants for UP's Touring Initiative is made solely by the Danish Arts Foundation's Project Support Committee for Performing Arts.
Answers will be sent out in mid-September.
Guide to the Danish Arts Foundation application portal
When you apply, you will be forwarded from the Danish Arts Foundation to the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces application portal. Here you will find the tick you need to tick to be considered for one of UP's 10 places at the Theatre Seminar.
Photo: screenshot from the Danish Arts Foundation to the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces application portal.Participants of 2024
Beyond Darkness with Tender
Cirkus Grand Danois with Grand Danois
CuntsCollective with Weeping Men
Jakob la Cour Studio with Hybrid Sensation 2.0
Live Art Danmark with VIRAK revyen
Teater Fluks with Når Sirenerne Kalder
OPE-N with LOL - Laughing Out Lonely
Jules Fischer with It Doesn’t Look Like Anything To Me
AKUT360 with KRIGSBØRN
Pernille Garde Stage Art with Verden i mine øjne