Breakthrough
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Flynn Breakthrough

Open Call for Performances for Public Spaces

The Flynn invites artists and organizations to apply for Flynn Breakthrough, a new initiative commissioning, producing, and incubating original performance for public spaces and non-conventional venues. At a time when funding and producing opportunities are shrinking, we’re making a bold investment in artists — helping transform daring ideas into artistic work that sparks imagination, inspires communities, and resonates far beyond Vermont.

About the Flynn

The Flynn is Vermont’s premier performing arts center, based in Burlington on the shores of Lake Champlain. For nearly 50 years as a nonprofit (and nearly 100 years since our historic theater opened), we’ve brought world-class performances to our stages and to communities across the state, reaching more than 1 in 4 Vermonters annually through performances, festivals, education, and community programs. We aim always to create a welcoming space where everyone is invited to imagine, create, and connect through the power of live performance.

Our commitment to public space is central to our mission. The Governor of Vermont has formally recognized the Flynn’s leadership in bringing art into civic life, affirming our role as a statewide cultural convener. We are members of the IN SITU European Network for Artistic Creation in Public Space, connecting Vermont to an international movement reimagining where and how art is experienced. For example, each September, over the past four years, our Playing Fields project has produced awe-inspiring performances at schools and communities across the state.

Through these efforts, the Flynn transforms parks, streets, waterfronts, and civic landmarks into stages—ensuring that creativity reaches all people.

What We’re Offering

  • Incubator Program ($5,000 + resources)
    For artists developing a new project, we provide time, space, mentorship, and connections to explore audience-centered ideas that carry artistic risk — whether that means experimenting with new forms, working across disciplines or in unconventional spaces, or tackling urgent themes whose impact is uncertain but potentially transformative. Each project culminates in a public sharing (showing, workshop, or other creative engagement), turning that risk into dialogue with communities and testing how new work can take root in the lives of audiences.
  • Producing Platform ($25,000 + producing partnership)
    For artists and organizations that have or will create a premiere-ready new work. We provide commissioning, producing, and marketing support to bring fully realized projects to their world premiere in public spaces and non-conventional venues across Vermont. The Producing Platform is designed for work that feels urgent and of this moment, performances that take imaginative risks while inviting audiences to witness, participate, or co-create. These premieres will unfold in public — from streets and town greens, to fields and mountainsides — sparking discovery where people live, work, and play.

Guided by a panel of artists and industry experts, the Flynn will select at least five Incubator Projects and up to four premieres through the Producing Platform in the 2026–27 cycle — a total of $125,000 invested directly in artists.

Eligibility

  • Open for projects from all performing arts disciplines.
  • Individual artists, artist collaborations, and organizations (both arts and non-arts focused) based in the United States are invited to apply. Vermont artists are especially encouraged.

Timeline

  • Applications open: November 2025
  • Application deadline: January 9, 2026
  • Notifications & Public Announcement: April 2026
  • Incubator Program public sharings: by April 25, 2027
  • Producing Platform premieres: must be performed in either Sept 2026 or Sept 2027

Flynn Breakthrough is bold by design and rooted in partnership. We’re excited to stand with artists who are ready to write the next chapter of live performance.

To submit an application:

  1. Create an account by clicking on the “Create An Account” button to the right.
  2. You will be prompted to create an account which will allow you to work on your application and then save it to come back to it later.
  3. If you have already created an account and started an application, please click on the “Login” button to the right to continue working on your application.
  4. If you would like to view the application without creating an account or logging in, please click on the link in the “Downloads” box below. That link is to view only, not submit.

Contact: breakthrough@flynnvt.org for more information including: criteria, details, and the application.

Applications must be complete to be considered. Finalist applicants will also be invited to participate in an interview (online or in-person). Please be mindful to answer only those questions that apply to the program you are applying for (either Incubator Program or Producing Platform). Applicants may submit only one proposal to either the Incubator Program or Producing Platform.

We welcome ambitious ideas and unexpected partnerships—be specific about your audience and why this work matters now.

NOTE: for security purposes, this program session will time-out after 2 hours of inactivity. If you are inactive on this form for 2 hours or more, you will be automatically logged out of the system. You may log back in with your username (email address) and password.

At any time during the application process, you may click the "SAVE" button, located at the top of every screen. This will save the information you have entered thus far and allow you to log back in to complete your form at a later date.

Contact: breakthrough@flynnvt.org for more information including: criteria, details, and the application.