Application uploaded before 22 November 2024 at 23:59
Open call to participate – application deadline 22 November 2024
Focus on your career development as a professional performing arts producer in the independent field
As something new this year, in addition to the mentoring programme, the programme's mentees are offered an in-depth, paid, one-week internship with an experienced performing arts producer in the project-supported field.
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 educational course, 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 stepping stone to further your career.
Why is the 2025 mentoring programme only for producers?
The special focus on producers is due to the fact that the function of a performing arts producer has evolved in recent years. There is a stronger demand for structural and administrative professionalisation, and there is a pronounced shortage of producers in the field.
For new producers, the accumulation of 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 mentorship programme comes from a desire to support the development and strengthening of producers for the benefit of the field.
What does the mentorship programme involve?
The mentorship programme is organised by you and your mentor. Mentors and mentees are selected by an external UP curator.
In your application, you can define themes and focuses that are relevant to you.
Examples of focus can be:
Management awareness, self-management and management dilemmas as a producer
Business development and entrepreneurship as a freelance producer
Sustainable producerhood
Defining your own practice
Challenges in the pairing with the artistic director
Clarifying competences
The producer's many professional skills
...or something completely different that you need.
Internship programme
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 competences.
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.
Feedback
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.
Practical information about the 2025 mentorship programme
When does the mentorship programme run?
The mentorship programme runs from February to December 2025.During the programme, the mentor and mentee have approximately seven meetings, including three mandatory joint meetings. The three mandatory joint meetings will be held on the following days:
6 February 2025.
30 April 2025.
26 November 2025.
It is a prerequisite for admission to the mentorship programme that you can attend all the joint meetings.
The mentor and mentee set the dates for the four remaining meetings, which can be held either in person or online during the programme.
Dates for the internship are organised individually between the mentee and the internship site.
There will also be a final seminar in December 2025.
How many people are accepted?
The programme accepts 5 mentees.
You can only apply as an individual.
What are the commitments?
As a mentee, you must be prepared to take responsibility for the programme so that you get the most out of it. This means that it is your responsibility to organise meetings with your mentor, formulate the agenda and follow up on the agreements you make with your mentor.
As a mentee, you commit to sharing the results of your programme, both with UP, but also at the final seminar in December 2025.
Does it cost anything to participate in the mentorship programme?
The mentorship programme is free of charge. However, you will be responsible for travelling expenses to all meetings. If the mentor and mentee live far from each other, you can apply to UP for a travel subsidy.
How to apply
The mentorship programme is open to performing arts producers who collaborate with performing artists and companies in the project-supported field and who want to strengthen and develop their production practice.
It is a requirement that you have at least 2 years of relevant experience as a professional producer in the performing arts field.In your application, you must describe your current work and what challenges and ambitions you want to work with as a mentee.
It is possible but not required to suggest a mentor in your application. We use this as a guideline for which mentor you will be paired with.
The application must include:
an application text of max. 1 page
CV of max. 1 page
(a total of 2 pages in one pdf.)
Applications are uploaded via the application form.
The mentorship programme is curated by an external curator in collaboration with UP.
UP encourages everyone regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, disability, religion, sexuality and socio-economic background to apply.
