Call for Applications :

SparksLab professional Workshop
 

ASSITEJ SparksLab Program
Organized by Assitej Luxembourg
Luxembourg
June 4-9, 2025

Assitej Luxembourg is pleased to invite two artists from each member country of the ASSITEJ Small Countries Network to participate in the SparksLab program, a professional workshop taking place from June 5-7, 2025, at the Rotondes studios in Luxembourg. In collaboration with the Marionettefestival, celebrating its 10th edition, this professional program will spotlight the arts of puppetry and object theatre.

The primary goal of this workshop is to bring together emerging artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, to familiarize them with new artistic forms, and to place particular emphasis on creation for young audiences, thereby encouraging the emergence of innovative new works.
For this edition, participants will have the opportunity to delve into the world of puppeteer, director, and performer Ariel Doron, focusing on the presence of the "ready-made" object on stage.

Workshop : Objects and the Stage
A Workshop on Object Theatre

Puppeteers, actors, dancers, animators, playwrights, visual and performance artists, and theatre educators are invited to participate in a workshop that explores the world of objects on stage. In this workshop, participants will examine how the "ready-made" object can not only serve as a prop but can also take center stage, prompting new imaginations, thoughts, and feelings. The workshop is a practical laboratory where participants will experiment with a variety of objects through exercises that touch upon puppetry, physical theatre, composition, scenography, directing, interpretation, dramaturgy, animation, and visual arts.

Ariel Doron is a puppeteer, director and performer whose work is characterised by a minimal use of text and a touch of playfulness, tackling complex social and political issues. He has created solo works such as ‘Boxed’, ‘Pinhas’ and ‘Plastic Heroes’, which have been presented in over forty countries, receiving numerous awards including Best Animation and Audience Favourite. He has also directed shows for children and teenagers, such as ‘Besuchszeit Vorbei’ and ‘Alarm in Streichelzoo’, which were selected for the Berlin biennial for children and young people, ‘Augenblickmal’. Living in Germany, Ariel works with various theatrical institutions, as well as teaching and running workshops internationally. Alongside his theatre work, he lends his voice to popular characters, notably in a local adaptation of Sesame Street, where he plays the iconic ‘Elmo’.
 
Schedule of the Professional Meeting:

• June 4, 2025: Arrival of participants

• June 5-7, 2025: Workshop with Ariel Doron

• June 8, 2025: Discovery Day at the Marionettefestival (International festival of contemporary puppetry and object theatre)

• June 9, 2025: Departure of participants

Networking and professional exchanges will be organized throughout the stay.
Eligibility Criteria:

• Target Audience: Professional artists in the performing arts for young audiences, particularly emerging artists in the field of object theatre, or those interested in experiencing object theatre for future projects

• Age Limit: None

• Conditions: Artists working in the field of young audiences from one of the small countries

• Application Selection: The application will be analyzed and evaluated by a jury made up of one member from each country and the workshop leader.

Conditions

• Participants must be available and participate on the entire SparksLab Program from June 4-9, 2025

• Each application must fill out the google form with the following information:

• Participant's details

• Date of birth

• profession

• biography (max 200 characters)

• Creations for young audiences in which you have collaborated or what are your interests in working on creations for young audiences?

• reasons for taking part in the SparksLab program?

Important Dates:

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• Call Launch: February 20, 2025

• Application Deadline: March 20, 2025

• Selection Committee Meeting: March 28, 2025

• Announcement of selected applications: April 1-4, 2025