The EBA European Residencies are designed to support individual Deaf and disabled artists by responding directly to their artistic proposals, offering them the time and space to experiment creatively without the pressure of production. This initiative prioritizes independent artists, enabling them to bring up to three collaborators and fostering artistic exploration beyond traditional performing arts company structures.  

Residencies will be hosted by Skånes Dansteater, Onassis Stegi, Project Arts Centre, and ZAMEK Culture Centre. 

Selected artists for Europe Beyond Access international residencies

The selected artists bring a powerful range of experiences, perspectives, and creative visions. Their projects explore identity, accessibility, heritage, language, revealing new possibilities for how performance is made, and how it is experienced by audiences, across Europe. 

Dodzi Dougban (Germany) 
Residency at Skånes Dansteater (Sweden) 
Fatherhood

Dodzi Dougban is a Deaf performer and choreographer, working at the intersection of Hip Hop, Afro and contemporary dance. Dodzi will use his residency to explore the often-unspoken emotional and administrative challenges faced by deaf fathers navigating separation and parenthood. “Fatherhood” addresses themes of alienation and resilience, offering a rarely seen perspective on family life from within the deaf community. This residency is a co-production with Un-Label. 

In the foreground, a woman is gently placing her hands on the head of another seated woman, suggesting a comforting or therapeutic gesture. Both are in a softly lit room with a calm atmosphere. In the background, another woman with light hair, wearing a jacket over a striped shirt, is seated and appears to be observing. On the wall to the left, there is a bright blue neon sign displaying the words "jam is the massa." The overall setting suggests a relaxed, introspective environment, possibly an art installation or a wellness session.

Chisato Minamimura (UK/Japan) 
Residency with Project Arts Centre (Ireland) 
Deafscapes

Chisato Minamimura continues her pioneering work in reimagining sound through a Deaf lens. Her concept of “Deafscapes” transforms auditory environments into visual experiences, inviting audiences to understand sound through sight and movement rather than hearing. Her research will deepen the aesthetic and technical foundations of this unique form. 

Two people are lying on their backs on a soft, beige carpet, each with their hands resting on their torsos. The person in the foreground has short hair and is wearing a black long-sleeve top, lying with their head on a grey pillow. In the background, another person is dressed in a patterned skirt and dark top. The atmosphere appears calm and relaxed, suggesting a setting focused on rest, relaxation, or meditative practice. The lighting is warm and low, enhancing the tranquil environment.

Manolis Saridakis (Greece) 
Residency at ZAMEK Culture Centre (Poland) 
The Choreographic Potential of Classical Children’s Games

Saridakis dives into the kinetic and imaginative world of childhood, drawing choreographic inspiration from games like “Police & Thieves” and “Hide & Seek.” During the residency, Saridakis will examine how the physical logic and social dynamics of play can affect contemporary dance. Manolis Saridakis is the first ever Greek professional choreographer with learning disabilities, working in an artistic partnership with collaborator, Medi Megas.

A person stands against a dark background, wearing a black shirt. Their head is slightly turned to the side, and their arms are extended outward with open hands, fingers spread in an expressive gesture. The lighting focuses on the person, highlighting their face and arms while the rest of the scene remains in shadow. The overall mood suggests a dramatic or performative moment, possibly part of a dance, theater, or expressive art performance.

J Neve Harrington (UK) 
Residency at Onassis Stegi (Greece) 
every movement a flower, every flower a movement

Harrington’s work interweaves movement, text, textile, and book forms developing what Harrington describes as “neuroqueer experiences of information processing and attention”. During the residency, they will develop the dramaturgical structure for Digital Quilt and other evolving projects, interrogating how performative language and craft can coexist in hybrid, embodied forms. 

Alice Davazoglou (France) 
Residency at Théâtre National de Bretagne (France) 
Danser Ensemble

Alice Davazoglou returns to the roots of her evolving piece “Danser Ensemble”—a deeply collaborative, human-centred choreographic exploration. The work defies conventional hierarchies by placing disabled leadership at the heart of the creative process. With this new phase, she continues to turn the tables: what if, for once, it wasn’t the non-disabled leading the disabled in dance, but the other way around? 

A person with glasses and a beige headband, dressed in a magenta top, stands with raised arms in front of a wall covered with hand-drawn illustrations and notes. The person's back is to the camera, and their hands are lifted as if reaching toward the pictures on the wall, which are illuminated by a wall-mounted lamp.