Big Pulse Dance Alliance (BPDA) is a network of 12 European dance festivals/institutions brought together by their common aim of developing and strengthening the contemporary dance sector. The network is co-funded by the European Union.
The nomination for the Creative Europe Culture Sub-programme was made by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). The 4-year project will start in December 2020, with BPDA’s main activities beginning in 2021.
Led by Tanz im August/HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Germany), the network partners Dance Umbrella (UK), Dublin Dance Festival (Ireland), Julidans (Netherlands), New Baltic Dance (Lithuania), ONE Dance Week (Bulgaria), Torinodanza Festival (Italy), Zodiak – Center for New Dance (Finland), Sismògraf Dance Festival (Spain), International Dance Festival TANEC PRAHA (Czech Republic), CODA Oslo International Dance Festival (Norway) and Danscentrum (Sweden) will collaborate in producing new work, scouting for talent and fostering leadership in dance.
The partnership, with its expertise and Europe-wide network, will tackle the challenges faced by festivals and choreographers across Europe. Due to the immense impact of the current COVID-19 crisis, the goal is to identify and adopt measures that will adequately sustain the dance sector.
BPDA will support choreographers in their transition from creating works for small and medium-sized stages to works for larger-scale venues and spaces in two lines of production: staged works and works in public spaces. The aim of the project is to diversify programming on the big stages and to reach out to the broader public through free outdoor programming. The public-space line is dedicated to developing new concepts and work models for international touring, involving local communities.
Furthermore, BPDA will strengthen the capacity of artists and the cultural sector. The project aims to stimulate artistic and project management through a leadership programme, and to define tools to address challenges in the working environment. Local artists and other key stakeholders will meet at local Pulse initiatives to discuss key insights and topics most relevant to the dance sector and the national festivals’ contexts. The project’s long-term aim is to establish a lively and enduring network of European dance festivals.
