The Connecting Series is an opportunity for AAPPAC members to share ideas on potential partnerships through the development and presentation of new work. It aims to connect the network through partnerships; providing a platform for commissioning between members, with key outcomes of a greater longevity for work and increase exposure for artists.
The call for submissions for the AAPPAC 2026 Connecting Series Pitch Platform is open till 15 Jun 2026.
- Download the Connecting Series Brief here to find out more about the programme.
- Don’t miss your chance to pitch to leading arts centres and presenters from the region on 8 Oct 2026 as part of the AAPPAC 2026 Hong Kong Conference.
- Submit your project here today!
For more information, please contact the AAPPAC Secretariat at aappac@esplanade.com.
Assessment Criteria
A selection panel comprising representatives from AAPPAC members will evaluate the submitted projects based on the following:
(1) Work is of high artistic merit and quality (50%)
- Clarity and uniqueness of concept
- Track record/strength of artistic and technical team
- Depth and maturity of creative and art-making process
(2) Work is relevant and appealing to AAPPAC members (40%)
- Suitability for touring within Asia-Pacific
- Relatability and transferability of themes for audiences in the region
- In line with AAPPAC’s mission to foster closer ties and better understanding amongst the people of the region.
(3) Proposal is clear in its plans for the work and what it is seeking in terms of support (10%)
Priority will also be given to works that:
- Are collaborations between AAPPAC Members
- Reflect the diversity and character of the Asia Pacific region; or
- Are cross-cultural.
Timeline and Deliverables
Launch: 15 May 2026
Deadline for Submissions: 15 June 2026
Review and Evaluation by Selection Panel: 16 Jun - 24 Jul 2026
Notification of Results: By 7 Aug 2026
Submission of Presentation Materials (for selected works only): 9 Sep 2026
Pitch Presentation at Hong Kong AAPPAC Conference: 8 Oct 2026
Project Proposal Submission Guidelines
Projects may be submitted under either one of the following areas:
(1) READY TO CONNECT
(2) SEED OF AN IDEA
- Seeking partners to invest and extend the life of a work in development or which has recently premiered.
- The proposed project must be a work that:
- is currently in development with a planned premiere within the next 2 years; or
- has premiered at a festival (either digital or live) within the last 2 years.
- be specific and direct in what support is required e.g. presentation cost of $X
- Seeking support from partners to grow a new commission.
- The proposed project must:
- have preliminary support for future premiere/presentation from an arts centre; and
- be specific and direct in what support is required e.g. presenting venue or $X for a Co-Commissioner etc.
Project proposals are submitted through the Secretariat to the selection panel for opportunities to pitch at the upcoming AAPPAC 2026 Conference in Hong Kong hosted by West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.
The projects can vary across disciplines (e.g. theatre, music, dance, inter-disciplinary etc) and scale. The pitch presentation should focus on opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with AAPPAC members.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL VIA OUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM HERE BY 15 JUN 2026 (11.59PM Singapore Time).
Pitch Format & Requirements
- Live Presentation in-person (8min) followed by a live Q&A.
- All selected projects must send a representative to pitch the work in-person at the AAPPAC Conference in Hong Kong on 8 Oct 2026.
- Presentation can be supported by audio-visual elements and should include:
- Concept & Scale
- Artists/Creatives involved
- Touring plans
- Time frame
- Specifics about what the presenter is seeking e.g. funds, presenting venues, collaborators
Support for Artists/Arts Companies in Asia Pacific (applicable to non-members only)
To encourage wider in-person participation, support the growth and development of the arts community in the region, and facilitate more networking opportunities beyond the AAPPAC network, two non-member arts companies/artists will receive support to travel to Hong Kong to attend the AAPPAC Conference and make the pitch presentation in person. The support includes:
- An honorarium of US$1,000
- One annual conference pass valued at US$500
Eligibility
To be eligible for this support, the arts company/artist must fulfil the following criteria:
- The company/artist’s proposal must be selected for pitching at the 2026 Hong Kong Conference.
- The company/artist must be a non-member based in Asia Pacific.
- The company/artist cannot be from the host-country (i.e. Hong Kong) as the honorarium is meant to defray travel costs.
- The proposed project by the company/artist should not have any existing involvement/partnerships (i.e. commissioning/producing/funding support) with AAPPAC Members.
- The company/artist must appoint a representative to attend the Hong Kong Conference in person and make the pitch presentation on 8 Oct 2026.
AAPPAC Members are not eligible to receive the support. AAPPAC Members who have existing involvement in a selected proposal should appoint a representative from within their organisation to make the pitch in-person and include videos/visual materials from the company/artist if required.
Assessment Criteria
A selection panel comprising representatives from AAPPAC members will evaluate the submitted projects based on the following:
(1) Work is of high artistic merit and quality (50%)
- Clarity and uniqueness of concept
- Track record/strength of artistic and technical team
- Depth and maturity of creative and art-making process
(2) Work is relevant and appealing to AAPPAC members (40%)
- Suitability for touring within Asia-Pacific
- Relatability and transferability of themes for audiences in the region
- In line with AAPPAC’s mission to foster closer ties and better understanding amongst the people of the region.
(3) Proposal is clear in its plans for the work and what it is seeking in terms of support (10%)
Priority will also be given to works that:
- Are collaborations between AAPPAC Members
- Reflect the diversity and character of the Asia Pacific region; or
- Are cross-cultural.
Timeline and Deliverables
Launch: 15 May 2026
Deadline for Submissions: 15 June 2026
Review and Evaluation by Selection Panel: 16 Jun - 24 Jul 2026
Notification of Results: By 7 Aug 2026
Submission of Presentation Materials (for selected works only): 9 Sep 2026
Pitch Presentation at Hong Kong AAPPAC Conference: 8 Oct 2026
Project Proposal Submission Guidelines
Projects may be submitted under either one of the following areas:
(1) READY TO CONNECT |
(2) SEED OF AN IDEA |
|
|
Project proposals are submitted through the Secretariat to the selection panel for opportunities to pitch at the upcoming AAPPAC 2026 Conference in Hong Kong hosted by West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.
The projects can vary across disciplines (e.g. theatre, music, dance, inter-disciplinary etc) and scale. The pitch presentation should focus on opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with AAPPAC members.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL VIA OUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM HERE BY 15 JUN 2026 (11.59PM Singapore Time).
Pitch Format & Requirements
- Live Presentation in-person (8min) followed by a live Q&A.
- All selected projects must send a representative to pitch the work in-person at the AAPPAC Conference in Hong Kong on 8 Oct 2026.
- Presentation can be supported by audio-visual elements and should include:
- Concept & Scale
- Artists/Creatives involved
- Touring plans
- Time frame
- Specifics about what the presenter is seeking e.g. funds, presenting venues, collaborators
Support for Artists/Arts Companies in Asia Pacific (applicable to non-members only)
To encourage wider in-person participation, support the growth and development of the arts community in the region, and facilitate more networking opportunities beyond the AAPPAC network, two non-member arts companies/artists will receive support to travel to Hong Kong to attend the AAPPAC Conference and make the pitch presentation in person. The support includes:
- An honorarium of US$1,000
- One annual conference pass valued at US$500
Eligibility
To be eligible for this support, the arts company/artist must fulfil the following criteria:
- The company/artist’s proposal must be selected for pitching at the 2026 Hong Kong Conference.
- The company/artist must be a non-member based in Asia Pacific.
- The company/artist cannot be from the host-country (i.e. Hong Kong) as the honorarium is meant to defray travel costs.
- The proposed project by the company/artist should not have any existing involvement/partnerships (i.e. commissioning/producing/funding support) with AAPPAC Members.
- The company/artist must appoint a representative to attend the Hong Kong Conference in person and make the pitch presentation on 8 Oct 2026.
AAPPAC Members are not eligible to receive the support. AAPPAC Members who have existing involvement in a selected proposal should appoint a representative from within their organisation to make the pitch in-person and include videos/visual materials from the company/artist if required.
Check out all Connecting Series Projects from 2018 – 2025:
Daejeon 2025
Selected works:
- Private View by Restless Dance Theatre
- December Nite by National Taichung Theater
- Bridging Bridge by West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
- The Rising World: Spirit of Water by Seoul Arts Center
- 8 Degrees of Freedom by Very Theatre
- Travel of the Soul: Echoes after Time by Hong Kong Arts Development Council
- Listening Acts by Chamber Made
- Hero by National Center for Traditional Arts
Taipei 2024
Selected works:
- BIRDY by HUNG DANCE
- ICE AGE by Resident Island Dance Theatre
- Goldfish by Terrapin
- This is not an Embassy by National Theater & Concert Hall
- U>N>I>T>E>D by Chunky Move
- Two Blood by Australian Dance Theatre
- Samsara - A Cine-concert by Garin Nugroho
- Beastosis - Revenge of the Witch by National Taichung Theater
Brisbane 2023
Selected works:
- PENDULUM by Lucy Guerin Inc
- Clockwork by CDP Theatre Producers
- My Self in That Moment by Chamber Made
- Gapu Ngupan by Kath Papas Productions
- Bright Day by West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
- How the Birds got their Colours by Cluster Arts
- Queers of Java by Monica Lim
Singapore 2022
Selected Works
- Aichi Prefectural Art Theater × Dance Base Yokohama [DaBY Dance Project “Rain”] by Aichi Arts Center
- Puppet & Its Double "The Selfish Giant" by National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)
- Song to the Ocean by Corrina Bonshek and Collaborators Limited
- One Day We’ll Understand by CultureLink Singapore
- Glass Child by The Farm
- Riverbed Theatre X Formosa Circus Art: Dreams and Shadows by National Theater & Concert Hall (NTCH)
- A Slow Emergency by Chamber Made
- Stream of Memory (Papermoon Puppet Theatre) by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Virtual 2021
Selected Works:
- FUTURE SENSITIVE - NEW MODES OF BEING BY ARTS HOUSE LIMITED
- THE CENTER BY ARTEXPECTED
- ARTIFICIAL PARADISE (OR THE HELLS) BY NATIONAL THEATER & CONCERT HALL
- MAN IS NOTHING BUT WHAT HE MAKES OF HIMSELF (WORKING TITLE) BY ESPLANADE - THEATRES ON THE BAY
- ANGEL ISLAND BY ARTS HOUSE LIMITED
- A REASON FOR FALLING BY HWA WEI-AN
- CYBORG EROS BY ANARCHY DANCE THEATRE
- 宿(STAY) BY ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE
DOWNLOAD: VC2021 - 2021 Connecting Series Selected Works Infosheet
Manila 2019
SELECTED WORKS
- HUNG Tung's Fantasy by National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)
- Tu Meke Tūī by Auckland Live
- Painted Skin by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
- Encounter: Eko Supriyanto x Watan Tusi by National Theater & Concert Hall
- Mourning the Nameless by Cultural Center of the Philippines
Auckland 2018
Selected Works:
Download: CONNECTING SERIES Projects 2018 Infosheet
| 1. |
Project: Music in Anticlockwise Seeking: Touring Opportunities |
Adelaide Festival Centre |
| 2. |
Project: Country n’ Gamelan Seeking: Presentation Opportunities |
|
| 3. |
Project: Motoko Hirayama x Kuniko Kato [DOPE] Seeking: Presentation Opportunities |
Aichi Arts Centre |
| 4. |
Project: SHIMAJI YASYTAKE x TAMAKI ROY “‘ARIKA” Seeking: Presentation Opportunities |
|
| 5. |
Project: The Seen and Unseen Seeking: Presentation Opportunities |
Arts Centre Melbourne |
| 6. |
Project: Child of Now Seeking: Co commissioning partners |
|
| 7. |
Project: Breakthrough Hit Seeking: Co commissioning investment and future presenting partners |
|
| 8. |
Project: The Platform Seeking: Presentation Opportunities |
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay |
| 9. |
Project: A Soldier’s Story – The New Generation Seeking: Presenting venues/Festivals |
Hong Kong Sinfonietta |
| 10. |
Project: DICHTERLIEBE- RECOMPOSED Seeking: Presentation opportunities |
Tongyeong Concert Hall |
| 11. |
Project: ON VIEW – Panorama Seeking: Commission partners and touring opportunities |
West Kowloon Cultural District Authority |
Projects previously pitched at the AAPPAC Connecting Series have continued to tour within & beyond Asia Pacific.
Find out more about past and future touring dates for some of these productions:
Samsara – A Cine-Concert by Garin Nugroho (2024 Pitch Project)
Pitch Project submitted by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay for Taipei 2024
Samsara tells a story of a man from an impoverished family who is rejected by the wealthy parents of the woman he loves. He strikes a bargain with the Monkey King, performing a dark ritual to gain wealth but in the process, curses his wife and child into suffering. A black-and-white silent film accompanied by live music, Samsara features many traditional Balinese performance elements such as a gamelan, traditional dance, masks and wayang wong - classic form of Indonesian mask theatre, layered with a digital electronic music soundscape by electronic music duo, Gabber Modus Operandi. The film and live performance stars two Asia-Pacific luminaries of the stage and screen: Indonesian film actor Ario Bayu and Indonesian Australian dancer Juliet Burnett. Samsara premiered at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay on Fri, 10th May 2024, a commissioned work for the annual Malay festival of arts, Pesta Raya.
Contact Information
Hanie Nadia Hamzah
hhanie@esplanade.com
Additional Information
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1M4MJtOGh_tycFEEBQ3jpbjyHe1yTgxgJ
TOURING UPDATES
Live presentation
Perth Festival 2025
Country: Australia
Venue: His Majesty’s Theatre
Date of show: 21 Feb 2025
ASEAN Film Festival
Country: Hong Kong
Venue: M+ Cinema
Date of screening: 8 & 9 Aug 2025
Film presentation
Melbourne International Film Festival
Country: Australia
Venue: ACMI 2 Melbourne
Date of screening: 9 Aug 2025
Country: Australia
Venue: Kino Cinema
Date of screening: 12 Aug 2025
-
U>N>I>T>E>D by Chunky Move (2024 Pitch Project)
Pitch Project submitted by Chunky Move for Taipei 2024
Led by award winning choreographer and Artistic Director, Antony Hamilton, Chunky Move is a leading force in Australian contemporary dance. We create bold, visually striking and genre defying works that have captivated 600,000+ audiences worldwide since 1995. U>N>I>T>E>D is a major international collaboration created by Chunky Move and a cohort of outstanding artists residing in Australia, Indonesia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. The creative team includes:
- Javanese performance duo Gabber Modus Operandi
- Bali-based streetwear label Macan Studio
- award-winning South Australian lighting designer Matt Adey/House of Vnholy
- Wellington-based dancers and world builders, Jahra Wasasala and Ooschon
- Naarm/Melbourne-based dancers David Prakash, Melissa Pham, Samakshi Sidhu and Jayden Wall
- choreographer Melanie Lane as Dramaturg, and
- Australian based global leaders in animatronic design, Creature Technology Company.
U>N>I>T>E>D follows a trajectory of recent, innovative dance experiences for audiences by Chunky Move, including 2019’s Melbourne International Arts Festival commission, Token Armies, and 2022’s Sydney Festival premiere, Yung Lung. Artistically, the project draws on the diverse creative practices and cultural perspectives (Indonesia, Aotearoa, Fiji, Samoa, India and Australia) of the creative team, who all share an interest in the idea of ‘machine mysticism.’ Working with an interdisciplinary approach that integrates multiple artistic mediums, together the team will generate a fascinating and highly original performance that honours technologies both ancient and contemporary; both inner and collective.
Adding further to the uniqueness of this work, the exceptional cast bring their expertise in dance lineages from post-modern contemporary dance, as well as street styles originating in North America, including Popping, Hip Hop, House, Krump and Waving. This thrilling merging of movement styles under the distinctive aesthetic eye of Antony Hamilton, enhanced by dynamic lighting and visual design elements, will produce a truly original and unforgettable performance experience for audiences.
Created over multiple research and development periods in Bali and Naarm/Melbourne, the work will be presented in the round (4 sides) with a combination of seated and standing audiences. This configuration seeks to hybridise traditional performance contexts with the less-formal settings of a night club or live music gig.
U>N>I>T>E>D has been commissioned by Asia TOPA for new Creative Director, Jeff Khan’s inaugural 2025 festival
Contact Information
Kristy Ayre
kristy@chunkymove.com.au
Additional Information
U>N>I>T>E>D Supporting Documents - AAPPAC 2024 - Dropbox
TOURING UPDATES
2025
Jul 2025 | Biennale Danza in Venice in July
26–28 Sep 2025 | da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now, Singapore
20–21 Nov 2025 | Camping Asia, Taipei
27–30 Nov 2025 | Freespace Dance At Westk, Hong Kong
2026
Feb 2026 | Perth Festival
Apr 2026 | The Netherlands (The Hague), Norway (Oslo) and Lithuania - as part of New Baltic Dance (In conversation)
June 2026 (TBC) | Melbourne & Sydney
This is Not an Embassy by Stefan Kaegi (Rimini Protokoll) (2024 Pitch Project)
Pitch Project submitted by National Theater & Concert Hall for Taipei 2024
During an artistic residency in Taipei, Stefan Kaegi met many artists, indus- trialists and diplomats to paint a portrait of Taiwan – a unique land that has gradually lost almost all its official diplomatic representation. Through the stories of a digital activist, a former diplomat and a musician and heiress to a bubble tea company, distinct viewpoints on Taiwan’s situation are told using models, simulations and video screenings. Together they open an embassy in the Republic of China (Taiwan) for the duration of the performance, protected by the freedom of art. Theatrical fiction intertwines with a little-known cul- tural and political history of Asia, mirroring European democracies.
Contact Information
Mu Chin
chinmu@mail.npac-ntch.org
Additional Information
https://vidy.ch/en/production/stefan-kaegi-rimini-protokoll-this-is-not-an-embassy
TOURING UPDATES
6 - 7 Nov 2025: Orleans (France) | Centre Dramatique National Orleans
5 - 7 Mar 2026: Strasbourg (France) | Maillon, Theatre de Strasbourg
Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre (2022 Pitch Project)
Pitch Project submitted by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay for Singapore 2022
Sang and Jun spend carefree days by their playground—the river. One day, an unexpected event takes Sang on a magical encounter with the majestic giant Kali. Meandering across the land, they discover who Kali is, and remember what he once was.
Internationally acclaimed Papermoon Puppet Theatre collaborates with artists and designers from Singapore to perform their biggest production to date—Stream of Memory, an ecological tale of remembrance and reconnection. Created in response to the disappearing rivers consumed by urbanisation and modern life, this lyrical non-verbal production promises to rekindle our memories of nature and deepen our connections with each other.
Audiences can enjoy this enchanting journey through standard theatre seating on chairs or experience a more intimate performance with floor seating.
A programme of In New Light – A Season of Commissions, in celebration of Esplanade’s 20th anniversary.
Contact Information
Delvin Lee
ldelvin@esplanade.com
Additional Information
https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on/festivals-and-series/festivals/2022/in-new-light/stream-of-memory
TOURING UPDATES
Oct 2022: Pitched at AAPPAC 2022 Conference in Singapore
Dec 2022: World Premiere in Singapore at Singtel Waterfront Theatre at Esplanade
Jan 2023: Selected to be pitched at ISPA New York
Dec 2023: Indonesian premiere in Yogyakarta (ISI Yogyakarta)
Oct 2024: Selected to be pitched at the inaugural HKPAX in HK
Part of the performance have also been invited to perform at several iconic Indonesian cultural events including the opening of a museum in Jakarta; and a guest appearance of Kali (the giant puppet from Stream of Memory) in the Indonesia Pavilion at the ongoing Osaka Expo.
Glass Child by The Farm (2022 Pitch Project)
Pitch Project submitted by The Farm for Singapore 2022
Glass Child is a poignantly revealing depiction of the sibling relationship between Kayah, a young man with Down Syndrome and his sister Maitreyah. Expressed through dance, theatre and storytelling Glass Child highlights their connection and how their lives have been affected by other people’s perceptions.
The term “glass child” refers to the sibling of someone with special needs who often becomes a facilitator in the family, someone who is “looked through”. Kayah is Maitreyah’s oldest brother. Throughout their lives Maitreyah has watched him be left out, ridiculed or ignored without understanding why. Glass Child puts a microscope on their love and how their relationship has grown. It questions how we behave when we find the difference we inevitably look for and asks us to examine why we search for difference when we share so much in common. It is poignantly personal and inclusive, incorporating complex themes of trust, communication, sense of self and our place in the world.
This project evolved from the close relationships between members of The Farm and the Guenther family that has grown over the past six years. Kayah and Gavin Webber began working together with the short film The Battle and the subsequent work The Crossing. These works have been seen and performed across five continents and showcase a working relationship that is integrated and collaborative in the truest sense. Maitreyah is a founding member of their Greenhouse youth ensemble, led by The Farm’s performer/choreographer Kate Harman.
Glass Child was co-commissioned by HOTA, Home of the Arts and premiered at HOTA as part of their annual program in 2021 (not as part of a festival).
Contact Information
Grayson Milwood
grayson@thefarm.company
Additional Information
Glass Child — The Farm - Run by artists, driven by art.
TOURING UPDATES
QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Centre) – 31 May, 1, 2, 3 June 2023
Bunbury, West Australia – 7 March 2025
Karratha, West Australia – 12 March 2025
Geraldton, West Australia – 15 March 2025
Sydney, NSW (Seymour Centre) 9, 10, 11, 12 14, 15, 16 April, 2025
Aichi Prefectural Art Theater × Dance Base Yokohama [DaBY Dance Project “Rain”] (2022 Pitch Project)
Pitch Project submitted by Aichi Arts Center for Singapore 2022
What if the sky never clears after the storm? Shadows on the ground are cast by dark clouds in the sky. As people probe their way along a narrow crack, can they surpass the shadows they cast themselves? Choreographer Ryu Suzuki adapts English writer Somerset Maugham’s short story into a dance work that reflects our times. In Maugham’s original, people at odds with each other are trapped under one roof waiting for the onslaught of torrential rain, emotionally tangled while suffocating in the limited space. The literary metaphor of rain turns physical and overwhelming as contemporary artist Shinji Ohmaki brings an adaptation of his installation Liminal Air – Black Weight to the stage. What remains are dancers entwined in a sea of suspended black strands. Sound artist evala transforms musical tones into raindrops that touch our hearts. Even after a downpour, shadows linger on.
Contact Information
Eri Karatsu
ekaratsu@aaf.or.jp
Additional Information
Aichi Prefectural Art Theater and Dance Base Yokohama “Rain” ｜ Dance Base Yokohama
TOURING UPDATES
November 2023 Hong Kong
New Vision Arts Festival 2023
11/10 20:00, 11/11 20:00, 11/12 15:00
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre（Hong Kong）
https://www.nvaf.gov.hk/
August 2023 Japan (Tokyo, Aichi, Fukuoka)
8/4 19:00, 8/5 12:00, 18:00, 8/6 12:00, 16:00 New National Theatre The Pit (Tokyo)
8/18 18:30 Happiness-Hill-Kota Sakura Hall (Aichi)
8/27 14:00 Kitakyushu Performing Arts Center (Fukuoka)
https://rain.dancebase.yokohama/
March 2023 Japan (Aichi) **Premiere
3/11 14:00, 3/12 14:00
Aichi Prefectural Art Theater Small Theater (Aichi)
https://www-stage.aac.pref.aichi.jp/event/detail/000727.html