Talk & Connect – International Dance Dialogue #2 – Rethinking Touring: Why are we still touring under difficult conditions?

7 May 2026 | 14.30 – 16.00 h CEST

Inputs: Guests: Chiara Bersani, Margherita Petti (Perform Europe) and Matthew Covey (Tamizdat)
Moderator: Prasanna Oommen

With rising costs, bureaucratic hurdles, and environmental pressures, the dance ecosystem is at a crossroads. The session brought together artists, advocates, and cultural managers to argue that while international touring is essential for cultural exchange and artistic survival, the current model is not sustainable anymore. Here are the four key takeaways from a conversation that ranged from visa challenges to the future of care in the arts.

1. The Visa Crisis is an Existential Threat to Cultural Exchange
Matthew Covey, director of Tamizdat and a leading advocate for artist mobility, delivered a sobering reality check. He highlighted that the cost of obtaining US visas for artists has skyrocketed by over 5,000% since 1995 , with the process becoming increasingly opaque, racist, and unreliable. With 75 countries currently facing bans or severe restrictions, artists are simply choosing not to travel.Covey warned that if current trends continue, US audiences could see a 30% decline in international touring by 2026 . His message was clear: Cultural exchange is a human right and a bulwark against xenophobia, but it requires active defense. Funders, venues, and governments must stop treating international mobility as an afterthought and start investing in the infrastructure that keeps borders permeable to culture.

2. For Disabled Artists, "Green Touring" Isn't Always the Answer
Chiara Bersani, an Italian performer and activist, offered a powerful counter-narrative to the dominant "sustainability" discourse. She pointed out a critical contradiction: "For a person with a disability, the most sustainable option is not always the most ecological one." For disabled artists, touring is often more expensive and logistically complex due to the need for accessible transport, accommodation, and support staff. Yet, for independent artists in countries like Italy with weak domestic funding, international touring is the only way to survive professionally. Bersani argued that we cannot demand disabled artists sacrifice their mobility for the sake of carbon footprints. Instead, the sector must recognize that accessibility is a prerequisite for sustainability , not a competing priority.

3. From Competition to Collaboration: Reframing the Narrative
A recurring theme was the need to shift the mindset from "touring as a solo race" to "touring as collaboration." Margarita Petti, representing the Perform Europe network, emphasized that the sector is ready to move beyond treating accessibility and sustainability as checkboxes.The discussion highlighted that successful touring now requires shared responsibility . It’s not just the artist's job to navigate the chaos; it requires a horizontal structure where festivals, venues, and funders share resources and risks. Petti noted that projects like Perform Europe are proving that when power imbalances are addressed and artists are given agency in decision-making, the result is deeper community engagement and more resilient networks. The goal is to stop viewing touring as a "one-shot" delivery of a finished product and start viewing it as a long-term process of co-creation.

4. Care and Time Are the New Currency
Perhaps the most profound insight came from the breakout sessions and the final reflections: We need to redesign the timeline of touring. The current industry model, driven by tight schedules and high pressure, leaves no room for "breathing," reflection, or genuine connection.Participants in the breakout rooms discussed the concept of "care" not just as a buzzword, but as a structural necessity. This means allowing for longer stays in one location, investing time in local community building, and acknowledging that different bodies and minds require different rhythms. As Bersani noted, an artistic society that doesn't allow bodies to change or rest is a performative society in the worst sense. The future of touring depends on our ability to slow down and prioritize the human element over the logistical grind.

The Bottom Line
The consensus was clear: We cannot stop touring, because the world needs the connection, the empathy, and the artistic exchange that only live presence can provide. However, we must urgently dismantle the barriers that make it impossible for so many. Whether it's fighting for visa reform, redefining sustainability to include accessibility, or simply giving artists the time to breathe, the path forward requires a collective, radical shift in how we value and support international dance.

As Matthew Covey put it: "Advocacy is about making and executing a plan for the world that you want to live in."