The Research into the Unknown program was created to provide a context in which artists can engage in in-depth and free research without the pressure of producing a final work. The working process, lasting at least eight weeks, offers young (dance) artists the opportunity to approach a self-chosen topic from a new perspective.
The program provides professional, financial, and infrastructural support for the research process. It also aims to broaden the participants’ perspectives and encourage collaboration with (not only) adjacent fields and professions: while the focus of the research must remain on dance and movement, the (mandatory) collaborator must come from a different professional background.
Based on feedback from both the participating researchers and the dance community, it can be stated that the program fills an important gap and has consistently fulfilled its objectives since its launch in 2006. It contributes to raising awareness of the importance of artistic research, supports collaboration between different artistic and scientific disciplines, and it can be said that none of the research processes begin or end with the closing event, as the experiences gained during the program continue to inspire further research and artistic work.
