Equal Arts Digital Portfolio

Why this portfolio matters

Equal Arts Association InDance International, Skill Up, Italy and Bruiser Theatre Company, Ireland.

In this issue 1, we discover 52 real practices you can adapt to your organisation, training or policy work.

Indeed, the Equal Arts Digital Portfolio brings together inspiring practices from Ireland, Italy and Spain that respond to one shared challenge: the underrepresentation of women in leadership and decision-making roles in the performing arts. Built from extensive national research, the portfolio showcases a wide range of practical responses, from mentoring and professional development to policies, protocols, awareness-raising and monitoring tools.

What makes this portfolio especially valuable is its variety. The practices come from NGOs, theatre companies, social cooperatives, public bodies, education providers and sector networks, showing that gender equality can be advanced in many different ways and across many different organisational settings.

Ireland: 14 Good Practices, 1 powerful case study

The Irish section includes 8 Good Practices from 10 organisations. Together, they focus on issues such as the gender pay gap, women’s visibility in media and theatre, mentoring, access to training, equality policies and bursaries for underrepresented artists.

Across the Irish examples, a clear picture emerges: progress happens when structural change and individual support work together. Some practices focus on policy and accountability, such as pay transparency and gender equality frameworks. Others focus on practical support, such as mentorship, networking, access bursaries and professional development opportunities.

Case study: Smock Alley Theatre

The Irish case study highlights Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin, described as Dublin’s “Oldest Newest Theatre.” Its scope includes presenting and supporting theatre, performance and cultural events while also offering accessible spaces for artists, companies and community groups. The theatre’s work is closely linked to artist development and inclusive cultural programming.

One of its most notable good practices is the Baptiste Programme, developed with Once Off Productions. This is a structured, mentored script-development initiative supporting Black Irish theatre practitioners in creating new plays. Each cycle works with four emerging writers through workshops, mentor-led seminars and one-to-one dramaturgical support, leading to public rehearsed readings at major cultural events such as the Dublin Theatre Festival. Since launch, the programme has supported five cohorts and generated twenty new script readings, helping bring underrepresented voices onto Irish stages.

The case study also shows what women working in the sector most need: training in implicit bias, stereotypes, mentoring, contract negotiation, networking, project management and work-life balance. It also points to the biggest barriers, especially cost, time pressure and caregiving responsibilities. 

Italy: 13 Good Practices, mix of research & action

Italy contributes 13 Good Practices through 8 organisations, combining mapping and research with festivals, mentoring, policy development and entrepreneurship support. The Italian section is particularly strong on visibility and evidence. Several practices document gender inequalities in the performing arts, while others create spaces for women’s authorship, leadership and professional growth. The result is a portfolio that mixes diagnosis with action.

Case study: En Kai Pan

The Italian case study centres on En Kai Pan, a women-led social and cultural cooperative based in Naples. It combines theatre, research, training, communication and support for women’s inclusion in cultural and entrepreneurial pathways. Its approach is rooted in collaboration and in creating spaces where people can plan, create and grow together.

A key example is “Talking about a Revolution - Women and Theater enterprise”, which included a regional meeting in Naples, a national conference and the publication of a book in 2024. The project’s aim was to build networks between women’s enterprises, researchers, artists, workers and young entrepreneurs, while also examining women’s roles in theatre cooperatives since the 1970s and the current reality of gender discrimination in the sector.

Another important initiative is “Create the right job for you: training and empowerment for women in social enterprises”, a training course for women aged 25 to 55 focused on business planning and empowerment. This reflects one of the clearest lessons in the portfolio: gender equality in the arts is not only about representation, but also about access to tools, skills and economic autonomy.

Spain: 25 Good Practices

Spain includes the largest collection, with 25 Good Practices across 8 organisations. The Spanish examples cover anti-discrimination protocols, festivals, mentoring, gender equality reports, inclusive curricula, funding mechanisms and safe working environments.

What stands out in Spain is the breadth of action. Some practices focus on making spaces safer and fairer, while others amplify women’s artistic visibility through programming, festivals and mentoring. There is also a strong commitment to data, governance and institutional change.

Case study: La Mecànica

The Spanish case study features La Mecànica, a female-led international performing arts production company based in Mallorca and specialised in physical and visual theatre. The company connects local and international artists, combines artistic creation with social commitment, and develops inclusive projects with a strong community dimension.

Its most significant good practice is the implementation of an anti-discrimination protocol to prevent and address sexual, sexist and LGTBIQ+phobic aggression. The protocol creates clear action measures, support networks and confidential communication channels, especially important in touring, residencies and other intensive creative settings where power dynamics can be uneven.

The case study also highlights Dans’illot Festival, a dance and creation project that opens up yearly opportunities through an open call. It gives a selected choreographer or director the chance to lead a new project or dance-theatre creation at an emblematic site in Mallorca, while also supporting networking and career sustainability for independent artists, especially women.

“Equal Arts Unlocked” Live Webinar Online. 

From 15th September 2026, Equal Arts is going live with a three-part webinar series on Dance, Theatre, and the Media. Part 1, Skill Up: Success and Opportunity Female Leadership, runs Tuesday 15th September, 5–6pm CET, in Italian/English. Part 2, InDance International's "Dance Longer, Grow Stronger: Building a Sustainable Career in Dance," follows on Thursday 17th September, 6–7pm CET, in English/Spanish.

Closing the series, Part 3 turns the spotlight on Bruiser Theatre Company with Promoting Work Theatre: Beyond the Spotlight, a livestreamed panel discussion airing Tuesday 22nd September, 4–5pm (Irish Standard Time/BST) in English on YouTube, and Facebook Live. Full details to follow soon.