How Artists Join the Festival
At the International Dance Festival New Orleans, we're committed to discovering new artists and growing a creative community that stretches from the Gulf South to the rest of the world. We're always paying attention to what's emerging in contemporary dance: the ideas artists are chasing, the communities they're working with, and how the form keeps evolving.
We also want to be honest about how programming works. We're a small festival, and we present about ten artists each year. With so few slots, we're balancing a lot at once: presenting both local and international voices, paying artists for their work, keeping tickets affordable, building programs audiences will show up for, and sustaining the partnerships that make the festival possible. That means every year we say no to work we love. A "not this year" is rarely a judgment on the quality of the work. More often it comes down to fit, timing, budget, or balance across the program.
There are three ways artists come to the festival.
Partnerships and larger projects. Most of our programming grows out of multi-year conversations with artists, presenters, and partner institutions, often for bigger projects that need shared resources, touring support, or international collaboration. These relationships build over time, usually through seeing work in person, and often take a year or more to come together.
Commissions. Occasionally we commission new work for the festival. Commissions also grow out of long conversations, and because they depend on securing dedicated funding, they're planned well in advance and happen by invitation.
Open Call. Because so much of our program comes through long-term relationships, only a few slots are filled through the open call each year. But it's a real door, and it's the best way in for artists we haven't worked with yet. It's also how we discover who's out there, and it can be the start of a longer conversation. We invite submissions from choreographers across the Gulf South, and around the world. When a call opens, we share it on our website, newsletter, and social media.
Other ways to participate. Our dance film festival has its own submission process through FilmFreeway. At this time, we don't have a formal application for masterclass teachers.
Looking ahead. We'd love to do more to support new work while it's still being made. In January 2026 we launched an incubator program in partnership with Dancing Grounds, and we're excited to watch it grow. For now, the incubator is focused on development and isn't a direct pathway to the festival stage, though we hope to build that bridge in the future.
Every relationship behind this festival started with a first hello: a show we caught, a conversation after a performance, an application that surprised us. We can't say yes to everyone, but we're always looking to meet artists, and we hope this gives you a clear picture of where to begin. Come see the festival, join our newsletter, and watch for our next open call. We'd love to know you.
