'shifting points', open call for artists

Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting (BIPAM), Kyoto Experiment and the Japan Foundation (JF) are launching ‘Shifting Points’, an incubation project for the next generation of performing arts artists in Thailand, Japan, and Southeast Asia, jointly organised by the three organisations.

BIPAM, Kyoto Experiment and JF will select a group of emerging performance-making artists from different backgrounds in Japan, Thailand and Southeast Asia to join a three-year incubation programme. Applications are open to artists, art practitioners who create works that are related to performing arts based in Thailand, Southeast Asia, and Japan. In the final selection, a total of 6 participants will be selected from Thailand (2), Southeast Asia (2), and Japan (2).

The participating cohort will gather both online and onsite to expand their ways of thinking and practice by engaging with performing arts practitioners in Southeast Asia and their socio-cultural ecosystem. Thus, they will create a collective learning experience that will result in a performative outcome. The programme will be facilitated and advised by a facilitator and guest mentors.

2025 Timeline:

• February: Online introductory sessions
• 10–17 March: Onsite research, exchange, and idea development in Bangkok and BIPAM2025 with programme mentors
• October: Onsite research, exchange, and idea development in Kyoto and Kyoto Experiment 2025 with programme mentors

The process may continue to phase 2 and 3 in Jan-March and October 2026 and March 2027. The application process will be renewed and participants will also be reselected to suit each phase of the programme.