The Theatre Institute invites you to read the Distribution Handbook for Emerging Performing Arts Professionals: ‘Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Distribution (But Were Afraid to Ask)’ published by Reso – Dance Network Switzerland in 2025.
A guide for companies and artists working in Switzerland and abroad. Developed as part of Reso’s PAM Factory and compiled by three producers with many years of experience.
The tool is aimed at anyone working and touring in the performing arts.
Distribution work in the performing arts is characterised by a great deal of uncertainty: sometimes you are lucky and immediately meet a programmer with an artistic profile that perfectly matches your own company. In other cases, countless emails are sent out, most of which remain unanswered – a guideline for distribution work would be helpful here.
That is why Reso has developed the Distribution Handbook in collaboration with producers from the performing arts. This tool can be understood as a small guide that can help you in different situations: When is the right moment to pitch a new project? How can a tour be prepared to reach as many interested venues as possible? Is it worth going to an event even though your own work is not the focus?
The Distribution Handbook attempts to answer all these questions. It provides an insight into the various steps necessary to carry out successful diffusion work. From choosing the team and its working structure, to the tools that make the work more tangible, to the key resources that are essential for a successful meeting with a meeting partner.
The publication is available in English (click here to download), and in Polish (click here to download). The Polish version was realised in collaboration with the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute in connection with the Focus on producers programme, and the seminar with Noémie Delfgou “Why, where & how to present artistic work? An exchange meeting on (inter)national distribution” which took place on November 10, 2025.
Credits:
Project development: as part of PAM Factory 2023 with participants Ramun Bernetta, Mauro Danesi, Charlotte Garbani, Marine Magnin, Susanna Plata, Adrian Schild, Rebecca C. Schnyder, Victoria Wuthrich.
Project management: Noémie Delfgou
Editor: Stéphane Noël
Text: Alexandros Vrettos, Damien Modolo, Stéphane Noël
Text consultant: Victor Leclère
Proofreading (English): Wyndham Wallace
Graphics: Rocket Ruby
Publisher and copyright: Reso – Dance Network Switzerland, 2025
