THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RESIDENCY HOSTING

1. Partnership LABS

With the aim of strengthening support for choreographic creation, LE PATIO has initiated a collaboration with three cultural partners who, like us, are committed to the development, production and distribution of contemporary dance.

The Théâtre de Liège, the Centre Culturel d’Engis and Compagnie Irène K / Festival Danse en Ville have responded favourably to this initiative. This dynamic aims to support artists at different stages of their careers, offering them a broader and complementary working framework.

From the 2026–2027 season, each of these partners will offer a recognised artist a residency at PATIO, followed by continued support. Depending on the specific characteristics of each organisation, this support may take various forms: providing work spaces, support for lighting design, artistic mentoring or inclusion in a programme.

This partnership is intended to be long-term and renewed each season. It is based on pooling our resources, skills and networks, in order to offer artists structured support that enables them to carry out their project and consider broader distribution opportunities.

2. Emerging artist LABS

Among organisations hosting artists in residence, few are specifically dedicated to supporting emerging choreographers.

Yet many dancer-performers feel, at various points in their careers, the need to develop their own artistic language. This evolution reflects a desire to take an authorial approach, to voice a singular perspective and to explore, through choreographic creation, a more personal expression of their practice.

This desire can emerge at various times: towards the end of a career, as part of a professional transition, but also right from the start, upon leaving training or during early stage experiences.

Aware of these challenges, LE PATIO has chosen to open its spaces to these emerging artists. Each quarter, alongside hosting established artists through its partnerships, a place is dedicated to young choreographers from diverse backgrounds, aesthetics and career paths.

These artists are selected through a call for projects distributed nationally and internationally, with the aim of supporting emerging talent, encouraging diversity in choreographic writing and fostering the renewal of contemporary art forms.

The call for projects for the 2026-27 season is currently open and will close on 1 July 2026.

Submit your project!

LE PATIO – House of Dance invites young choreographers to submit a project for one of the 3 labs of the coming season.

Aim of the labs: to foster choreographic research and the development of artistic approaches.

Dates: 15 days (can be split into modules of at least 3 consecutive days) to be agreed based on the project and the availability of the dance studios

Eligible applicants: professional and semi-professional dance artists.

Selection process: candidates are selected by an artistic committee of dance professionals assembled by LE PATIO. The labs are open to the whole dance community, in a spirit of diversity, representation and inclusion.

Priority areas:

• The labs must be focused on choreographic research;
• If the artist is from outside the city of Liège, a letter of motivation explaining their wish to work in Liège is required. If the project is selected, no accommodation costs can be reimbursed.

Submission deadline: 1 July inclusive.

For all labs, the House of Dance offers:

• A professionally equipped studio for regular weekly use over a defined period
• Dramaturgical, choreographic and logistical support if needed
• A flat-rate travel allowance of €150 per project hosted, granted to artists living more than 30 km from Liège.
• Halfway through the project, an opportunity to meet the audience, organised as a brunch, to create a friendly exchange and allow artists to explain their project
• At the end of the season, a work-in-progress showing (at the Théâtre de Liège or at PATIO) allowing the results of the research to be shared with the public
• Where possible, participation in PATIO’s daily life is possible through our workshops and courses, and PECA projects (cultural and artistic education in schools)
• For emerging artist labs, no financial support can be granted to artists and companies, who must be self-sufficient in terms of travel, fees/hiring, meals, etc. Subject to availability, from the end of October 2026, our accommodation (3 double rooms) may be made available to artists, upon prior request and within the limits of its capacity and availability.