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The Dramaturgs' Network goes international

A new initiative from the Dramaturgs' Network,, The International Dramaturgy Lab, is in now open for applications and proposals. It will run for the next 9 months and culminate in the LMDA conference in Mexico City in 2021.

The Dramaturgs' Network has had a strong and collegiate relationship with the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of Americas (LMDA) since the network's very early days. Across the years, we have discussed how to facilitate more dialogue across our membership around practice, projects and ideas.

Personally, this has been of great interest to me, as I am one of many of our members who does not live and work in one of the UK's major cities. I am based in Northern Ireland, and I know others in various parts of the country for whom access to events and peers is sometimes limited.

So, I have been dreaming of a project like this for quite some time. In 2017 at the LMDA conference in San Fransisco, I spoke to LMDA president Ken Cerniglia and heard about the plans to expand their international reach with a conference based in Mexico City for 2020 a seed was planted.

During Martine Kei Green’s time as President, we continued the dialogue about how to connect our members in different ways aiming for the Mexico conference. At this stage the Dramaturgs’ Network joined forces with The Fence International Network with plans to get a group of people from Europe to the conference. Enter COVID and all change.

However, one brilliant opportunity arose out of the chaos; more lead-in time to the now postponed Mexico conference, a focus on online working practices and a great group of people from all over the world talking about how to move forward.

Out of this we have devised The International Dramaturgy Lab as a pilot project. We reached out to other networks for dramaturgs in Finland, Denmark and Norway and now have a really exciting mix of theatre makers interested in exploring dramaturgy across borders.

It will be organised around small groups of participants from different countries, cultures and interests who commit to meet at least 4 times online and report back to us all and to have an opportunity to present your projects discoveries at the LMDA conference 2021 in Mexico City.


The project is very timely. It will nurture international connections and dialogue in a time of COVID and increasing concern for the environment. Dialogue that last longer than one conversation which is what I feel sometimes happen at a conference. You start an exciting exchange, but as soon as you are back in your normal world, life pressures take over.


To take part in the project we have a very simple 2 stage process, where you can apply with or without a specific project idea. The initial window to express your interest to participate runs between 23rd of September and the 9th of October.

We look forward to sharing stories from the project with you as it progresses during the year.

If you are already a member

Please visit the LMDA website to apply.


If you aren't a member

If you want to participate, but are not a member, you'll need to join the Dramaturgs' Network.


As from 1 October, we will run an offer to join the network for the rest of the year and through to the end of 2021.


I am very proud to launch this project, and can’t wait to see what it brings.

Hanna Slättne

d'n Advisory Board member


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