The Report 'Good Co-Production'
In November 2024, UP, in collaboration with Dansk Teater, held a dialogue meeting on co-productions. At the meeting, a number of independent producers and theatres discussed their experiences, challenges, and opportunities in creating stronger and more equitable partnerships for co-productions. Based on this dialogue and follow-up conversations with stakeholders from the independent sector, UP drafted a report with recommendations for co-production partnerships.
Here you’ll find a series of recommendations for collaboration when, as an independent artist or producer, you’re entering into a co-production with an institutional theatre, as well as suggestions for best practices.
The full report, 'The Good Co-Production Agreement: Inspiration for Best Practices,' is available here (in Danish).
Are you looking for UP and Dansk Scenekunst’s agreement tools for co-productions?
If you are looking for UP and Dansk Scenekunst’s contract tools for co-productions, which were published in October 2026, you can find them here:
Key Conclusions from the Dialogue Meeting at UP on The Good Co-Production
Co-productions are important and valuable
Co-productions between independent theatre groups and institutional theatres create both artistic and economic synergy, meaning that both parties can reap benefits that would be unattainable on their own.
Artistic synergy arises when institutions and artists collaborate to develop a work, which can enrich the artistic process and create space for more innovative and risk-taking works.
Economic synergy means that resources, funding, and knowledge can be shared, which can make performances more financially sustainable—or enable productions to be realised that would not have been possible to finance on their own.
It is important to align expectations
For a co-production to succeed, it is important that both parties have a clear understanding of each other’s terms and expectations. They must agree on how to handle financial matters, responsibilities, and artistic freedom so that everyone feels secure and engaged in the process.
Successful collaboration is based on equality
A successful collaboration is based on mutual respect and an understanding of the circumstances of both artists and institutions, including power dynamics and resources.
It is essential that both parties feel they have an equal say in decisions, both artistically and financially.
This requires that institutions be open to listening to artists’ needs and wishes, while also taking responsibility for the resources and frameworks they provide.
It also requires that artists gain insight into and understand the realities and limitations of the institutions.
Equality is about ensuring a balance in power dynamics. A good collaboration arises when there is a mutual understanding of how artistic and financial differences can complement each other rather than create conflicts.
There is a need for clarity and transparency
There is a need for clear definitions of what a co-production entails, as well as a clarification of responsibilities, financial arrangements, and artistic freedom from the outset.
It is important that both parties have a shared understanding of what their involvement in the production entails and what they can expect from each other. To ensure transparency, both financial agreements and artistic decision-making processes should be clearly formulated and agreed upon from the outset. This will create a foundation of trust and ensure that both parties have realistic expectations of each other.
Strengthen dialogue and develop tools
Enhanced dialogue and the development of specific tools for process and decision management are essential for avoiding conflicts and misunderstandings. Developing a contract checklist and agreement template can ensure that all relevant issues are addressed from the outset.
Dialogue is essential for successful co-productions
Dialogue and bridge-building are essential to ensuring successful co-productions between the independent performing arts sector and institutional theaters. Through close and open dialogue, both artistic and financial goals can be reconciled, and power dynamics and responsibilities can be aligned from the outset. Transparency and mutual respect form the foundation of strong collaborations, and clear agreements and tools are necessary to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings throughout the process.
Why did it work? – Success Stories from Both Sides
There was dialogue and division of responsibilities and tasks
A close and transparent collaboration where both parties actively contributed and responsibilities were clearly defined. This approach created a strong foundation for a successful partnership.
Shared strategy – shared responsibility and shared risk
Both parties agreed on a common strategy and shared both responsibility and risk in the process, which strengthened the collaboration and helped achieve the desired results.
Artistic sparring from the co-producing theatre
Active artistic sparring from the co-producing theatre has been an important part of the collaboration, resulting in a stronger artistic process and a better end product.
Joint tour planning and contact with venues
Close collaboration on tour planning and coordination with venues has provided an efficient and smooth process for the distribution of the production, which has facilitated the practical execution of the co-production.
Co-funding
Both parties have actively participated in securing funding for the project, enabling a sustainable co-production and ensuring that financial challenges did not hamper the artistic ambitions.
Suggestions for best practice
The suggestions below were made by the participants at the dialogue meeting at UP in November 2024. The suggestions are both larger wishes for joint efforts between performing arts institutions and the independent field and suggestions that you as an independent performing arts producer can find inspiration in when entering into co-productions.
Suggestions for best practice – developed by the participants of the dialogue meeting at UP
Create a template for co-production agreements
A standardised contract checklist and agreement template can be used to ensure transparency on finances, responsibilities and process. The checklist and template should include clear definitions of the collaboration and concrete expectations. Such templates should be developed.
Dialogue tools
A process tool can be developed for decision-making and conflict resolution that ensures focus on both artistic and practical aspects.
Agree on fair practice principles
Collaboration principles can be agreed with a focus on equality, transparency and sustainable working conditions, possibly inspired by the values of the Fair Practice Code, as seen in the Netherlands, and the Danish Composers' Association's study of a code for art and culture.
Conduct workshops as part of the early dialogue
Workshops can be organised between collaborators at the start of co-productions to build common understanding and trust.
Visions and recommendations for future collaborations
The recommendations below were developed by the participants at the dialogue meeting at UP in November 2024 and represent visions for joint efforts between funders, performing arts institutions and the independent field and proposals. As an independent performing arts producer, you can find inspiration in the recommendations when entering into co-productions.
Visions and recommendations for future collaborations - prepared by the participants of the dialogue meeting at UP
Structural change and better framework conditions
The scene must work together to change framework agreements and requirements from funders to better support co-productions and create greater flexibility for both institutions and artists.
Open calls and accessibility
Institutions are encouraged to actively seek out artists through open calls and partnerships that promote reciprocity and inclusion.
Increased knowledge sharing and transparency
Publicise information about institutional budgets and priorities to ensure greater transparency and alignment of expectations. An insight into each other's financial realities can prevent an image of ‘them and us’.
Build long-term collaboration
Focus on building lasting relationships between the independent field and institutions, including annual dialogue meetings to evaluate and improve collaborations.
New ways to measure success
An expanded focus on measuring artistic impact and community impact, including the development of a methodology for measuring this.
In the spring of 2025, UP and Danish Theatre will put together a working group from the independent field and institutional theatres, which together will develop a contract checklist, agreement template, and collaboration principles that recognise the wishes of both parties.
UP and Danish Theatre will also invite selected theatres and independent field actors to an evaluation meeting at the end of 2026 to discuss the results of the tools. This will be followed by a knowledge-sharing meeting between Danish Theatre, UP and relevant foundations based on the experiences of both parties after using the tools.