On Bodies Festival 2026
Open call for proposals
15th-17th of May 2026
Dance House Lefkosia
Application Deadline: Sunday 11th of January 2026
Dance House Lefkosia invites artists working with the body and choreography, to send proposals for On Bodies Festival 2026.
Building on last year’s theme of healing and resilience, On Bodies 2026’s focus is abundance: the state of plentifulness, richness, and prosperity across personal, social, and environmental dimensions. In a time marked by scarcity, budget cuts, destruction, and conflict both locally and globally, the festival aims to explore what constitutes abundance— whether it is resources, opportunities, community, solidarity, thriving ecosystems, biodiversity, inner peace, and/or optimism. Through performances, workshops, residencies, open discussions, and seminars, we seek to explore and interpret abundance artistically, dramaturgically, and socially, highlighting what is needed to create more of what truly sustains us.
How do we attract, how do we seek, how do we manifest for abundance?
What values are now needed the most?
Who and what communities/groups do we want to have beside us?
Abundance of what and for whom?
What is already there for us?
The interested artists/groups can apply with a new project or an existing performance in one of following categories. Please note that artists that participated in On Bodies festival 2025 are not eligible for applying for 2025.
BODIES ON STAGE
Works between 20-45 minutes tο be presented at the main stage of the Dance House with minimal technical and production needs. The setup of the festival is with the audience sitting on the rostras that are placed in front of and on the side of the stage. For better understanding of the space, please see the photos on our website.
BODIES IN THE GARDEN
Works between 10-25 minutes to be presented in the garden/ outside area of the Dance House with minimal technical support.
Selected proposals:
The selected proposals from the open call will perform once during the festival in a triple bill.
All projects will receive technical support for their performance taking into consideration the resources and equipment of the venue (audio-visual equipment – video projector – screen, etc). The performances must be easy to set up/set down (5’ max).
Financial Support:
- CYPRUS-BASED NEW PRODUCTIONS:
Solo work: €1500 (one performer)
Duet: €2000 (two performers)
Group piece: €3000 (at least three performers)
The selected proposals will have approximately 30 hours of rehearsals at the L-DH, spread evenly across February-May.
- CYPRUS–BASED EXISTING WORK:
Solo work: €500 (one performer)
Duet: €1000 (two performers)
Group: €1500 (at least three performers)
Artists not based in Nicosia will get small supplementary support for travel expenses.
The selected proposals will have approximately 15 hours for rehearsals at the L-DH, spread evenly across February-May.
- INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS:
L-DH will cover accommodation, per diem and tickets up to 250 euros per person/traveling artist, as well as a fee of 500 euros per artist. Maximum traveling team: 2 people.
Selection:
The selection committee will consist of Petros Konnaris (artistic director of L-DH, performance artist), Arianna Economou (president of Echo Arts, choreographer/performer, director of Dance Gate Lefkosia-Cyprus), Marios Ktorides (choreographer, artist), and Diamanto Hadjizacharia (choreographer, dancer). The results will be sent to all the applicants by email by beginning of February 2026.
The selection will be made based on (A) the clarity of the proposals and the choreographic methodology of the project, (B) the connection to the theme of abundance and the relation to the venue and (C) the overall curation of the festival.
Please fill in the application form (https://forms.gle/KW9YFpNcpupoDtXS8) by Sunday 11th of January 2026. For more information and questions regarding the festival and the open call please contact us at info@dancehouselefkosia.com or at 22 780960 (Mon-Fri 10:00-13:00).
Organiser:
Dance House Lefkosia
Supported by:
Deputy Ministry of Culture– Department of Contemporary Culture