Internationalisation
CPH STAGE works to strengthen the internationalisation of Danish performing arts. We create meeting places where the industry can develop through international impulses, collaborations, and market-oriented initiatives. Our goal is to bring Danish performing arts onto the international stage – while also opening doors for the festival and other Danish platforms to discover new international performing arts that can be presented here in Denmark.
Our work includes tailored visiting programmes where international professionals meet Danish performing arts, trade missions to foreign markets, participation in international networks, and a presence on international platforms together with the Danish industry. Close dialogue with both public authorities and the industry ensures that internationalisation becomes a natural and integrated part of Danish performing arts.
On this page you can read more about our international initiatives.
International initiatives
CPH STAGE Exchange & International Days
Exchange and International Days are the festival’s networking platform, bringing together performing arts professionals from around the world to engage with Danish performing arts. In our invitation efforts, we focus on strong buyers who are introduced to the festival’s performances, artist pitches, and tour-ready productions.
OFF STAGE
OFF STAGE is an international platform for exchange, innovation, and professional development in performing arts criticism. OFF STAGE is developed by CPH STAGE in collaboration with Springback (springback.org) and Bastard (bastard.blog). The initiative is supported by the Nordisk Kulturfond.
Participants in 2026:
- Hossein Tavazoni-Zadeh (The Netherlands)
- Yeong Ran Suh (Denmark)
- Olya Stoyanova (Bulgaria)
- Ilo Tuule Rajand (Estonia)
- Katla Ársælsdóttir (Iceland)
- Naja Lee Jensen (Denmark)
- Merja Koskiniemi (Finland)
- Richard Pettifer (Germany)
- Tara Okeke (United Kingdom)
- Karolina Bugajak (Slovenia)
In 2026, the workshop was led by the Springback team: Ingeborg Zackariassen, Evgeny Borisenko, Yasen Vasilev, Sanjoy Roy, and Oonagh Duckworth.
EAP - Buddy Programme for Emerging Artists & Producers
The programme promotes networking skills and professional development by connecting artists and producers early in their international careers with more established professionals.
Participants in the programme for 2026/2027 are:
- Alen Nsambu (Finland)
- Jenna Broas (Finland)
- Birita Adela Davidsen (The Faroe Islands)
- Felix Urbina Alejandre (Iceland)
- Mar Espona Moret (Denmark)
- Oscar Hernández Østergaard (Denmark)
- Matilda Bjärum (Sweden)
- Pilutaq Lundblad (Greenland)
- Silje Lindberg (Norway)
Maiko Yamamoto (Theatre Replacement, Canada) and Ragnheidur Skuladottir (LÓKAL, Iceland) mentor the participants. In addition to a series of internal meetings, they participated in CPH STAGE 2026 as well as West Coast Stage (Sweden). In 2027, they will take part in CPH STAGE as well as ILT Festival.
CPH STAGE has received funding from the Culture and Art Programme financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers to implement the project.
Baltic-Nordic Fringe Network Global Artist Call
This open call in 2026 gave all performing artists based in the Nordic region the opportunity to apply to present their work at Teater FÅR302 during the festival. The Baltic-Nordic Fringe Network (BNFN) is a network of ten festivals across seven countries in the Baltic-Nordic region, of which CPH STAGE is a member.
Mobility and promotion projects
Our invitation efforts and trade missions support the export of Danish performing arts and enable Danish presenters to encounter international work. Examples include:
CULTURAL DIALOGUES: DENMARK–KENYA PERFORMING ARTS EXCHANGE 2026–2027 is an exchange programme between CPH STAGE and the Nairobi-based performing arts institution Sarakasi Trust. In 2026, a Kenyan delegation visited CPH STAGE, and in 2027 a Danish delegation will visit Nairobi to facilitate meetings between performing arts stakeholders and promote long-term collaboration, knowledge sharing, and co-creation across national and cultural boundaries.
TRADE MISSION CANADA took place in summer 2026, where we, together with selected artists and companies, attended MICC Annual Market at MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE Festival and SummerWorks Focus at the SummerWorks Performance Festival.
The participators at MICC Annual Market were:
- Troels Hagen Findsen (Out of Balanz)
- Signe Sandvej (Wired Studio)
- Signe Løve Anderskov (Cikaros)
The particpators at SummerWorks Focus were:
- Barbara Simonsen (Seachange Theatre/Lab)
- Shuli Nordbek Azoulay (VOMP – a dance company by Gunilla Lind)
- Jon R. Skulberg (Convoi Exceptionnel)
- Boaz Barkan and Joel Degerfeldt (Our Other Organ by Boaz Barkan)
- Gritt Uldall-Jessen (Det Frie Felts Festival)
Our two trade missions to Canada were supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Ministry of Culture and organised in collaboration with Montréal Complètement Cirque, SummerWorks Performance Festival and the Embassy of Denmark in Canada.
CPH STAGE abroad
We maintain an ongoing presence at various festivals and platforms abroad, where we build connections with international partners, experience international performances, and promote Danish performing arts. Most recently, we have been present in Greenland, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, the Faroe Islands, Romania, and the USA.
For international companies
CPH STAGE does not have any open calls aimed at international companies wishing to present their production at the festival. If you have a production you would like to have considered for CPH STAGE, you can send us some information via this FORM.
Please note that the festival currently presents two to three international productions each year.