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The International Theatre Institute
ITI World Federation
The International Theatre Institute (ITI) is the world’s largest organisation for the performing arts. Founded in 1948 on the initiative of UNESCO, the ITI holds formal associate status and is thus an official partner organisation of UNESCO in the field of the performing arts.
As a global network, the ITI, with headquarters in Paris and Shanghai, now comprises over 92 national centres – each centre forming an association in its respective country of artists and cultural practitioners, groups and collectives, cultural institutions and associations.
Together with its members, the World Federation organises international festivals and congresses. Furthermore, the ITI World Federation is responsible for the messages from figures in theatre and dance on World Theatre Day on 27 March and on World Dance Day on 29 April.
Jessica Kaahwa (Uganda) has been President of the World Federation since 2024.
ITI Centre Germany
The German Centre of the International Theatre Institute is part of the International Theatre Institute’s global network. It is a non-profit association governed by a constitution. The ITI brings together theatre artists, curators and representatives of associations and institutions from all areas of the performing arts. The ITI’s office receives public funding for its projects.
The office is located in the Kunstquartier Bethanien in Berlin.
As an advocacy group and information centre for the performing arts, the German ITI is committed to the free development and preservation of the diversity of its forms of expression. It promotes international cooperation among artists and advocates for their rights both nationally and internationally through initiatives, associations and committees, whilst facilitating exchange in research and practice within the performing arts.
The German Centre represents the World Federation at UNESCO within the Intergovernmental Committee for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Areas of work and projects
THEATER DER WELT (theatre of the world): inspired by the ITI Festival of Nations, which took place in Hamburg in 1979, THEATRE OF THE WORLD was founded in 1981 by the ITI Centre Germany and has since presented developments in theatre from every continent every three years.
THEATER DER WELT 2026 will take place in Chemnitz from 18 June to 5 July.
The ITI Academy is a platform for international exchange and artistic research. It sees itself as a laboratory for collective resilience and equitable practice in art and theatre. The ITI Academy Week takes place during the triennial international festival THEATER DER WELT.
Since 2016, the ITI Prize has been presented to artists whose commitment to the performing arts makes a significant contribution to international cultural exchange between Germany and other countries. The award has been accompanied by a cash prize since 2017. The prize money currently amounts to 3,000 euros.
Touring Artists provides information and advice on administrative and organisational issues arising from cross-border work in artistic, curatorial and organisational practice. Through consultancy, workshops and networking initiatives, Touring Artists also supports newly arrived artists, creatives and cultural practitioners who have been forced to leave their home countries due to the political situation.
Theater Übersetzen offers various formats for translators and theatre practitioners in the context of translation and adaptation for theatre and performance, such as the knowledge platform theateruebersetzen.de, the International Workshop for Theatre Translators as part of the Mülheim Theatre Festival, or the BRANCHENTREFF THEATER ÜBERSETZEN.
The Media Library for Dance and Theatre is a space for artistic and academic research and discussion for practitioners of the performing arts. With currently around 12,000 videos and supplementary materials, the Media Library is one of the most comprehensive publicly accessible audiovisual documentation centres for the performing arts in Germany.
Studio2 is a 165-square-metre rehearsal and workshop space for the performing arts in Berlin’s Bethanien arts quarter. The studio offers emerging artists in particular the opportunity to experiment and conduct research through rehearsals, workshops, and work demonstrations. In addition to hourly bookings, the space can also be booked for several days at a time for longer periods of research.