The Right Time
Exploring Time in Performing Arts for Early Childhood
We are delighted to be part of a new EU project selected from over a hundred applications: ‘The Right Time’!
With 14 partners from 13 countries, we will be able to make a strong statement for the performing arts for children aged 0-6 over the next four years. Theatre for children in this age group is still underrepresented in the theatre landscape and its relevance is only slowly being recognised.
The Right Time project focuses on the aspect of time and explores the role that time plays in early childhood: children perceive time as fluid, not linear. It is coordinated by La Baracca ONLUS.
In four interwoven perspectives, the project takes a look at this dimension and perceives children as full citizens and cultural participants of today, not just as future adults.
Time to Create
Time is a key element in the creative process, providing space for research, dialogue, and artistic development.
For this reason, the first two years of the project will be dedicated to a co-creation process involving 12 partners working in pairs to create 12 new productions. The co-creation will happen during two 6-days artistic residences for each partner in each pair (once as a host, once as a guest). After the première, the new shows will be engaged in mini-tours, each hosted by a third partner, with a focus on areas and contexts with limited access to arts and culture for Early Childhood.
The HELIOS Theater is collaborating with Teatrul Ion Creangă from Bucharest, Romania, which is going to have a residency in Hamm in fall 2026. The return visit to Bucharest is planned for february 2027, and the play developed by the HELIOS Theater will be performed at Teater Tre in Stockholm, Sweden, in fall 2027. In return, the HELIOS Theater will present the play developed by Assitej Cyprus.
Time to Share
During the four years of the project, a total of 26 editions of International Festivals will be hosted by the partners. Festivals will showcase performances (including the new co-creations), seminars, training workshops, and networking events, as well as foster exchanges and meetings between artists, families and schools.
In Search of a Common Time
The project will be the platform for a long-term interdisciplinary research combining theatre studies, philosophy, sociology, pedagogy and cognitive development approach.
Three researchers will carry out investigations focused on Time in relation with Performing Arts for Early Childhood: how very young children perceive Time, what role Time plays on stage, what happens in the shared Time of a performance for children, artists and adult carers in the audience.
Paweł Gałkowski and Michał Wendland (Adam Mickiewicz University), who will explore the philosophical and sociological dimension, and Katherine Morley (ITYARN), who will focus on cognitive development, will lead the research process.
Time Travellers
Several groups of children will be directly involved in an experimental project that will follow their developmental, relational and aesthetic evolution over time. This journey, taking place in 12 different countries and involving 12 partners, will explore the concept of time passing by engaging in a long-term artistic relationship with a consistent group of children over the course of three years, intensely cooperating with schools and nurseries. The goal is to observe how children evolve, both individually and as a group, how their engagement with artistic experiences develops over time, and how the bonds of care and closeness change.
The Partners
- La Baracca ONLUS (coordinator), Bologna – Italy
- Art Fraction Foundation, Poznan – Poland
- Artika theatre company, Athens – Greece
- ASSITEJ Cyprus, Nicosia – Cyprus
- de Stilte, Breda – Netherlands
- Helios Theater, Hamm – Germany
- Teatrul Ion Creangă, Bucharest – Romania
- Kopla Bunz, Luxembourg – Luxembourg
- Théâtre de la Guimbarde, Charleroi – Belgium
- laSala/elPetit, Sabadell – Spain
- Theatre Madam Bach, Odder – Denmark
- neimënster, Luxembourg – Luxembourg
- Teater Tre, Stockholm – Sweden
- Toihaus Theater, Salzburg - Austria
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.