Big Stage Lab: Artistic Design and Production in the Performing Arts – Seminar Series 2026–2027
In 2026–2027, the Helsinki City Theatre will carry out a Nordic seminar series with the aim of strengthening the skills needed to work on the big stage (300+ auditoriums) among performing arts professionals, especially those working in the independent field.
The series responds to an identified need: especially artists and freelancers at the beginning of their careers have limited opportunities to develop their design skills for the big stage and international production skills, as these skills are not learned in formal education but through practice.
The seminars will examine the work of artistic designers and producers in the Nordic countries. The series promotes dialogue between the diverse approaches of artistic design and production, and offers participants the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other.
Seminars
- Each seminar will have a moderator and three invited speakers from different Nordic countries and Europe.
- The speakers will present presentations in the form of case studies on the projects they have carried out. Each performance lasts about an hour and includes interactive, collegial discussion with the audience throughout.
- The seminars will be held in the foyer of the Helsinki City Theatre’s main stage.
- The seminars will not be streamed online so that case examples can present copyrighted material, such as reference images.
Schedule and themes (dates to be specified – follow our announcements)
- Autumn 2026: Production Seminar 1
- Autumn 2026: Planning Seminar 1
- Spring 2027: Planning Seminar 2
- Autumn 2027: Production Seminar 2
The partners of the seminar series are Cullberg (Sweden) and Dansehallerne (Denmark); Loisto project: (Zodiak, Dance House Helsinki and Cirko).
The seminar series is supported by the Nordic Culture Fund.
Big Stage Lab: Artistic Design and Production in the Performing Arts
Seminar Series 2026-2027
Helsinki City Theatre will present a Nordic seminar series in 2026–2027 aimed at strengthening the skills required for working on large stages (300+ audience capacity) among performing arts professionals, with a particular focus on independent artists and freelance practitioners.
The series responds to an identified need: artists and freelancers, especially those at the early stages of their careers, have limited opportunities to develop expertise in large-scale stage design and international production. These competencies are rarely acquired through formal education and are instead learned primarily through hands-on experience.
The seminars will explore the work of artistic designers and producers across different Nordic countries. The series fosters dialogue around diverse approaches to artistic design and production, while offering participants a platform to share experiences and learn from one another.
Seminars
- Each seminar will be moderated and will feature three invited speakers from different Nordic countries and elsewhere in Europe.
- Speakers will deliver case study-based presentations on projects they have realized. Each presentation lasts approximately one hour and incorporates ongoing, interactive peer-to-peer discussion with the audience.
- The seminars will be held in the foyer of the Main Stage at Helsinki City Theatre.
- To ensure that copyrighted material, such as reference images, can be presented freely within case studies, the seminars will not be streamed online.
Schedule and Themes
(Dates to be confirmed – please follow our communications for updates)
- Autumn 2026: Production Seminar 1
- Autumn 2026: Design Seminar 1
- Spring 2027: Design Seminar 2
- Autumn 2027: Production Seminar 2
The seminar series is developed in partnership with Cullberg (Sweden) and Dansehallerne (Denmark), as well as the Loisto project (Zodiak, Tanssin talo / House of Dance, and Cirko).
The seminar series is supported by the Nordic Culture Fund.