The EXPAND project brings together a consortium of three European partners: the artistic production and cultural innovation agency Dark Euphoria (France), and two international theaters, Théâtre &ESPOO (Finland) and Théâtre National Marin Sorescu (Romania). It aims to support emerging creators and producers in the performing arts in their use of immersive and interactive technologies.

Through a capacity-building program, six artist-producer duos will explore the possibilities offered by extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) for live performance: new ways of writing and staging narratives, new links between performers and digital environments, and new formats of theatrical experience for audiences. Through experimentation-based training, participants will discover new dramaturgies, augmented acting and digital stages, while sharing sustainable production practices and realistic models for creating with these innovative tools.

For 22 months, EXPAND offers a transnational pathway combining workshops, peer-to-peer learning and intensive networking, creating a shared space where artistic vision meets technical possibilities. By connecting the performing arts ecosystem with digital innovation, EXPAND aims to make XR and AI more accessible, collaborative and relevant to the future of theater.