For the second year in a row, UP's mentor program is aimed at producers in the independent field. Throughout the year, a less experienced performing arts producer in the independent field follows a more experienced producer and develops their production skills through professional sparring and internships.
The mentor program has previously been more broadly targeted at self-producing performing artists, with a focus on artistic development as well as professional skills. However, due to high demand in the independent field for professionally skilled producers and a more sustainable working life for producers, the program is once again targeting this group.
The demand became clear in the survey conducted by UP in 2024-2025 of the independent performing arts field. Among other things, it showed that:
while more than:
That is why we at UP believe it is still important to offer newer producers an opportunity to further strengthen their qualifications, as well as a network to bounce ideas off and a working community to join.
De nye mentorer og mentees mødte første gang hinanden som del af mentorprogrammet på UP i februar til en dag med workshops og samtaler om producentfaget. De nye mentorer og mentees er:
Malene Cathrine Pedersen
Mentor for Frederikke Rønne Westergaard
Malene works as an international producer based in Aarhus and has more than 10 years of experience with international networking, festivals, and international collaborative projects with both major institutions and independent artists. Today, she is permanently affiliated with the ILT Festival as festival director and producer for DON GNU.
Frederikke Rønne Westergaard
Mentee of Malene Cathrine Pedersen
Frederikke has a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in theatre and performance studies. Frederikke is a producer in the production collective prfrm - production and dissemination of performing arts, where she works with a number of different artists and companies in the independent field.
Sofie Mønster
Mentor for Lasse Mathias Reinhardt
Producer at Convoi Exceptionnel and Visual Science Studio. Sofie has solid experience in developing and realizing complex artistic projects at the intersection of performing arts, research, and society. She has worked extensively with international collaborations, funding, and strategic project development.
Lasse Mathias Reinhardt
Mentee of Sofie Mønster
Producer responsible for sales and marketing at sART Dance Theatre, Svendborg. He has a degree in philosophy and his own artistic practice in writing, images, and film, and has been employed at sART since 2024.
Lisbeth Bjerregaard Jacobi
Mentor for Anna Stamp Hedeager
Producer and administrative manager for Hotel Pro Forma and, since 2025, also creative producer for Kompagni MARIE DAHL. Has solid experience in developing, planning, and managing productions of varying scale and character, including site-specific projects, national and international touring productions, etc.
Anna Stamp Hedeager
Mentee with Lisbeth Bjerregaard Jacobi
Anna is a creative producer for Tiny Dancer and appreciates being close to the company's many different projects and contributing to strong, creative processes. With many years in the industry as a dance artist, and now as a producer, Anna is passionate about creating safe, clear, and ambitious frameworks for artistic work.
Maria West Hage
Mentor for Delia C. Keller
Maria has worked as a producer for eight years, both at institutions and in the independent field. She helped create Pavillon K and is currently a producer at Egnsteatret in Vordingborg, where she works with development, production, co-production, and festivals.
Delia C. Keller
Mentee of Maria West Hage
Delia holds a master's degree in Theatre Education from Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (Switzerland). Since moving to Denmark, she has worked as a producer and communicator at Tårnby Park Studio and in the artist collective Rum13, while continuing to be active as a theatre artist.