The international report offers a detailed overview of the awareness-raising events held in five European cities, marking an important step in promoting gender diversity in the performing arts.

The TRANScenDANCE project, co-funded by the European Union, aims to celebrate the diversity of gender identities in the performing arts, with a particular focus on the theme of gender transition in artistic creativity. The project’s first phase involved organizing a series of public events in Marseille (France), Belgrade (Serbia), Bologna (Italy), Iași (Romania), and Madrid (Spain). These gatherings had the dual objective of raising awareness among artists, cultural professionals, academics, LGBTQ+ community activists, and the general public, as well as gathering interest and feedback for the project’s future activities.

As highlighted in the report, each event was designed to address the specific socio-cultural needs of its local context. While the general objectives remained consistent, the approaches and formats varied widely, ranging from roundtables and workshops to artistic performances and spaces for free expression.

• In Marseille, the organization Cie Essevesse emphasized the need to involve institutions to foster inclusivity and, generally, to adopt a holistic and inclusive approach to reaching solutions.
• In Belgrade, BAZAART worked to promote initiatives that explore, reflect and perform gender identities in cultural and artistic practices.
• NEXUS’s roundtable in Bologna focused on the urgency for understanding the needs of trans and non-binary people in relation to socio-cultural contexts and how body language and dance can work together as tools for transformation and expression.
• In Iași, Gamma involved non-formal education and psychologist specialists to address a topic still considered as “a new area” in Romania.
• Finally, in Madrid, LaJoven offered educators and cultural operators tools to approach gender issues without fear, shame, or prejudice, to create safe and more inclusive spaces

The report emphasizes how dialogue and active listening emerged as fundamental elements in all contexts for building relationships based on mutual respect. The importance of using gender-sensitive language and ensuring the safety and accessibility of public and cultural spaces was underscored. Overall, the events engaged 75 program participants, including trans and non-binary individuals, artists, cultural professionals, academics, and activists.

The audience reached approximately 400 people across the five cities. The document, prepared by the BAZAART association from Belgrade, compiles the analyses, statistics, and conclusions of this crucial initial phase of the project. The experiences and lessons learned will be vital for the planning and implementation of TRANScenDANCE’s next activities, which will include training programs and creative projects. We invite all interested parties to download and read the full report to delve deeper into the results and insights generated by this important European initiative.