Here & Now concludes after six years of transforming international opportunities for performance created in England
After six years of opening international doors for artists, building lasting global partnerships and reshaping how performance created in England connects with the world, the partners behind Here & Now have announced that the programme will not return in 2027 as Arts Council England moves to invest in a new model of delivery from 2027.
Across its lifetime, Here & Now—and its predecessor Horizon—became far more than an international showcase. Together, they established a distinctive model of collaboration between organisations, artists and international partners, demonstrating how shared leadership, artist care and long-term relationship building could create meaningful international opportunities for performance created in England.
Independent evaluation found that the programme successfully brokered new international relationships, expanded touring and commissioning opportunities, strengthened England’s international profile and developed a care-centred model of showcasing that has become recognised across the sector. The programme also became recognised for championing artists whose voices remain underrepresented internationally, reflecting a commitment to inclusion that was embedded throughout the programme.
Over its most recent two-year cycle alone, Here & Now showcased 11 productions across 80 performances, supported 18 lead artists and engaged 66 core international delegates from around the world, alongside bespoke international touring support, mentoring and mobility bursaries that continue to generate touring opportunities today.
Paul Russ, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Fabric, said:
“Here & Now in Edinburgh became much more than a showcase—it developed into an internationally recognised meeting place where artists, presenters and producers built relationships that led to touring, commissions and lasting collaboration.
Both Horizon and Here & Now achieved exactly what it set out to do. Its legacy isn’t measured only in the performances that took place in Edinburgh, but in the international careers it has helped build, the partnerships that continue to flourish and the confidence it has given artists to imagine their work on a global stage.”
Ziza Patrick, artist, said:
“Here & Now changed the trajectory of my career. As an independent artist from the North East, it opened international doors that simply wouldn’t otherwise have existed. The relationships it created led directly to my work touring internationally, and continue to shape my practice today. It showed me what is possible when artists are genuinely invested in over the long term.”
IV by SERAFINE1369 at The Yard. Photography by Camilla Greenwell
Artist Showcase 2025
In 2025, Here & Now returned with a programme of six bold and brilliant, tour-ready performances, curated through an open call and selection process.
The works selected for the showcase were chosen for their ability to:
- appeal to international multi-artform venues and festivals presenting contemporary performance
- challenge perceptions of what ‘performance created in England’ can look like, through formal innovation and the diversity of artists creating the work
- reflect the breadth and diversity of artists working across England today
The final selection panel brought together Here & Now partners BAC, Fabric and GIFT, alongside representatives from British Council, Unlimited and international presenters from across four continents, who helped identify the works with the strongest potential for international touring.
The 2025 showcase artists were:
- Ad Infinitum
- Andy Smith and Lynsey O’Sullivan
- Jo Bannon produced by MAYK
- Khalid Abdalla produced by Fuel
- SERAFINE1369
- Sutara Gayle AKA Lorna Gee / Hackney Showroom
Artist Showcase 2024
The 2024 Showcase was curated through a nomination and selection process, bringing together recommendations from over 20 arts organisations and programmers from across England. Nominated works were selected for their potential to:
- appeal to international multi-artform venues and festivals presenting contemporary performance
- challenge perceptions of what ‘performance created in England’ can look like, through formal innovation and the diversity of artists creating the work
- reflect the breadth and diversity of artists working across England
The final selection was made by a panel of international presenters, who identified the works they felt had the strongest potential for international touring.
The artists were:
- Dickson Mbi
- Krisna Istha
- Luca Rutherford
- Nwando Ebizie
- Tim Etchells with Bert & Nasi
- Wet Mess
- Ziza Patrick
Photography by Nick Thornton Jones & Warren Du Preez