Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform Returns: Focus on Germany and International Partnerships

2026 June 22

The second edition of the Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform will take place in Vilnius from 23–27 September as part of the international theatre festival Sirenos, inviting audiences and international performing arts professionals to discover some of the most compelling works of contemporary Lithuanian performing arts. Following the successful first edition of the Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform, held in 2023 in preparation for the Lithuanian Season in France, the event returns to present some of the country’s most relevant artists and create opportunities for new international projects, co-productions and touring.

In addition to the international network of theatre professionals brought together annually by “Sirenos”, this year’s festival will place special emphasis on Germany in preparation for the Lithuanian Culture Programme in Germany. In collaboration with the Lithuanian Culture Institute and Goethe-Institut, more than 50 German performing arts curators, festival and theatre representatives, producers and experts have been invited to Vilnius.

The programme of the Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform was curated by representatives of the Lithuanian Dance Information Centre, Operomanija and the Lithuanian Theater Center together with Rita Valiukonytė, Head of the Lithuanian Culture Programme in Germany. The curators were guided by the Lithuanian Culture Institute’s thematic framework “Time – Spaces – People”, which served as a point of departure for reflecting on contemporary Lithuanian performing arts and the realities of today’s world.

“While preparing for the Lithuanian Culture Programme in Germany, we sought to create a programme that is diverse yet conceptually cohesive. We drew inspiration from the Lithuanian Culture Institute’s theme ‘Time – Spaces – People’, which encouraged us to engage with contemporary realities and select works that sensitively reflect geopolitical tensions, social change, personal choices, and the relationship between individuals, their histories and their surroundings. It was important for us to reveal the diversity, authenticity and creative courage of Lithuanian performing arts. We therefore shaped the programme as a coherent narrative in which different artistic languages and themes come together. At the same time, we considered the long-term international visibility of Lithuanian performing arts by presenting works with strong touring potential and artists whose practices may spark new collaborations. We believe that the relevance of the programme’s themes and its willingness to engage with today’s world will resonate not only with professionals from Germany but also with performing arts communities from other countries, encouraging new international partnerships,” say the programme curators.

First edition of the Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform | (c) D. Ališauskas

Focus on New Partnerships

One of the key elements of the Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform is its networking and international collaboration programme. Alongside the performances, the Platform will host presentations of artistic ideas by organisations and artists (pitch sessions), as well as co-production exchange events. These activities will provide Lithuanian artists and organisations with opportunities to establish direct connections with representatives of international festivals, theatres and cultural organisations, present themselves and their work, .and initiate future international projects.

Ten Perspectives on Today’s World

Audiences and international guests of the Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform will encounter ten works spanning theatre, dance, contemporary circus, performance and interdisciplinary art. Together, they reflect on geopolitical tensions, historical memory, questions of body and identity, community, social inclusion and the relationship between humans and technology.

Among the selected works is Agnietė Lisičkinaitė and Igor Shugaleev’s dance performance “Clap & Slap” (Be kompanijos), reflecting on the tensions that have emerged in Eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The programme will also feature Liza Baliasnaja’s solo work “Shield is a Weapon”, which explores the relationship between vulnerability and aggression, protection and confrontation. Adomas Juška’s “Minor Detail” (Lithuanian State Youth Theatre), based on the novel by Palestinian writer Adania Shibli, examines questions of historical violence, power and memory.

“Clap & Slap” | (c) D. Ališauskas

The programme also includes Laura Kutkaitė’s performative lecture “tremolo” (MMLAB), which explores women’s bodily awareness, sexual health and self-esteem. The contemporary circus performance “How a Spiral Works” (Art For Rainy Days) combines aerial acrobatics, contemporary dance and hair hanging, exploring the relationship, care and interdependence between two performers. Justinas Vinciūnas’ “Disturbance” (Vilnius State Small Theatre), based on Tove Ditlevsen’s novel “Faces”, reflects on individual sensitivity and the pressures of social expectations.

“How a Spiral Works” | (c) E. Gestaldi

Questions of historical memory are addressed in Karolis Kaupinis’ work “Radvila Darius, Vytauto” (Operomanija), which combines live music with archival footage from the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) archives to investigate the origins of contemporary challenges in Lithuania. The musical performance “Spores” by the visual art duo Pakui Hardware and an extensive creative team (Operomanija and Performa) examines the relationship between humans, technology and connections shaped by artificial intelligence.

“Radvila Darius, Vytauto” | (c) M. Aleksa

Audiences and international guests will also have the opportunity to see “Feast” by Kamilė Gudmonaitė (OKT / Vilnius City Theatre), created together with performers with disabilities and inviting audiences to reconsider notions of normality. The programme is completed by Lina Lapelytė’s performance “Ladies”, dedicated to four long-standing kanklės players from the Lithuanian folk ensemble Lietuva and their professional experience.

“Feast” | (c) D. Matvejev

The Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform will take place as part of the international theatre festival “Sirenos”. The festival is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Vilnius City Municipality.

The Lithuanian Performing Arts Platform is organised by the Lithuanian Dance Information Centre, Operomanija, the Lithuanian Theater Information Center and the Lithuanian Culture Institute.

Partner: Goethe-Institut.