SHIFT (Shaping Harmony, Innovating Forms & Thought) is a visionary project funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission. Its goal is to transform the way dance and performance art are conceived by exploring new spatial relationships, shifting the focus from traditional aesthetics to a more dynamic and participatory approach.

SHIFT, a groundbreaking project funded by the Culture strand of the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission. SHIFT, which stands for ‘Shaping Harmony, Innovating Forms & Thought’, aims to transform the way dance is experienced and presented. It questions the forms of space organization in people’s lives culturally, politically and socially. The project seeks to explore new formats of artistic expression, community engagement, and audience interaction, involving artists, experts, and citizens from multiple EU and Mediterranean countries. By fostering a shift from mere observation to active participation and immersion, SHIFT focuses on investigating new spatial relationships, and shifting the emphasis from 'visual aesthetics' in conventional venues to dynamic 'aesthetics of action' in adaptable, non-dedicated performance spaces The project is led by Cie Omar Rajeh & Maqamat (France), Fondazione Fabbrica Europa per le arti contemporanee (Italy), Albania Dance Meeting (Albania). In association with France Travail Scènes et Images- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (France), Beit El Raqs (Lebanon), Teatri Kombetar Eksperimental Kujtim Spahivogli (Albania) SHIFT will commence in Florence at FABBRICA EUROPA with the first gathering of all project partners and advisory board of artists and curators, ensuring broad participation and considerate decision-making. With the vast array of possibilities that FABBRICA EUROPA Festival can offer, we will also kick off the first ON-SITE EXPLORATIONS where invited artists, experts, and citizens will investigate, rehearse, discuss and test their stage performances, exploring new politics of creation and shared relationships. The second phase of the residencies will take place again during the next edition of FABBRICA EUROPA in 2025. The outcomes of these research processes will be evaluated and discussed at the BIG DANCE LAB in Tirana, Albania in January 2025. A foundational theoretical framework of brainstorming, knowledge sharing, and focused discussions. This feedback loop will help to set the stage for reimagining creation processes and performance spaces, including deserted urban landscapes, ex-industrial areas, historical buildings and other non-dedicated performance spaces. The project will continue with CREATIVE LABS in Beirut and Tirana, organized by Beit-El-Raqs and Albania Dance Meeting, engaging several emerging and established artists from Europe and the Mediterranean. These creative meetings and artistic residencies will culminate in a vibrant 3-day dance gathering organized by Cie Omar Rajeh & Maqamat in the Metropole de Lyon in the summer of 2026, immersing citizens in an interactive journey of artistic creativity and community participation. SHIFT aims to foster meaningful connections between artists and audiences while revitalizing significant community spaces. It aims to uncover the essential conditions for transitioning from the 'visual' to the ‘active’, illuminating the requirements for engaged creations, innovative relationships, and unconventional audience experiences.