The International Program in Scenography by OISTAT is announcing a call for proposals for its 5th edition, dedicated to the theme “Bird in Space”

The International Program for Scenography by OISTAT is launching an open call for its 2026 edition and invites students and recent graduates in the creative fields to apply for an intensive international program centered on collaboration and artistic exploration.

Applications are open from March 31 to May 3, 2026, and selected participants will be announced on May 15. The program will take place from August 24 to September 6 in Ovidiu, Constanța, on the shores of Lake Siutghiol, a natural and cultural setting that, year after year, becomes a meeting place for contemporary artistic practices.

The open call is aimed at emerging artists, set designers, architects, directors, actors, composers, musicians, or those working in other fields of the performing arts, visual arts, or design and specifically encourages interdisciplinary approaches and experimental thinking.

The application for the International Program in Scenography includes a short video presentation, a CV, a portfolio, and a project proposal. The proposal must outline the idea and how it can be realized, including details about the team, materials, budget, and motivation for participating in the program.

To register, please submit your application to contact@oistat.ro.

“Exactly 100 years after the famous lawsuit in which Constantin Brâncuși sued the United States because U.S. customs officials had classified his work Bird in Space as a mere utilitarian object rather than a work of art, we revisit this fundamental question: What is art? And, above all, what does art mean today? “We invite artists to apply to develop together performative installations that do not seek definitive answers, but rather open up processes, experiment, and build bridges of collaboration,” says Adrian Damian, president of OISTAT Romania

Participation in the program takes place within a dedicated working environment, where all necessary resources are made available to the selected artists. They will work alongside international mentors and have access to production support, in a process built around the exchange of ideas and collaboration. The experience develops organically, from working sessions and workshops to the realization of the projects presented in the final public exhibition.

The theme of this edition, “Bird in Space,” draws inspiration from one of Constantin Brâncuși’s most famous works and marks the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth. The proposal does not merely seek a formal reference but opens a reflection on the essence of creation: how one moves from form to idea and what remains when representation is reduced to gesture.

At the same time, the work alludes to the famous Brâncuși v. United States lawsuit, which took place 100 years ago, a moment that fundamentally changed the way modern art is defined.

In a present where artificial intelligence increasingly influences creative processes, the theme becomes a starting point for questions about authorship, intention, and meaning. The program thus proposes a workspace where Brâncuși’s legacy is placed in direct dialogue with today’s artistic reality.

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OISTAT (International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians) is an international network that brings together professionals in the fields of scenography, theater architecture, and stage technology, promoting the exchange of ideas, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of contemporary practices in the performing arts. OISTAT RO, the National Center in Romania, contributes to this mission through local initiatives, educational programs, and projects dedicated to the artistic community.