The International Young Makers' Exchange (IYME) is a unique collaboration between various European theatre festivals whose focus is on promoting and developing student and young emerging artists at a formative stage in their careers. The IYME programme will give young theatre practitioners a unique opportunity to tour their work to culturally diverse audiences, test their skills in an environment outside of their home countries, learn from and share new artistic practice and build up their international professional network. All in the context of safe, artistically nurturing environments designed to stimulate innovation and skills development. This mobility of theatre practitioners and artistic works creates job opportunities and fosters the development of careers on an intercultural and European level. Based on proven experience from a pilot project in 2003-2008, the IYME partner festivals strongly feel that the project will directly meet the stated objectives of the EU Culture 2007-2013 programme of: innovation, creativity, intercultural dialogue and excellence. Three main objectives of IYME:- International exchange and showcase of live performance made by theatre students, recently graduated theatre practitioners and young emerging artists. This will consist of an annual core tour of a small number of productions touring the core partner festivals and a one-off exchange programme with productions that will not tour all festivals, but instead a selection of festivals. - Professional development for international theatre students and recent graduates. A coherent programme of workshops that will stimulate skills development alongside the performance and showcase opportunities and the exchange of students with the assistance of theatre schools for co-productions.- International Ensemble: An intensive training residency week for international theatre students and recent graduates where they can take risks and challenge their notions of making theatre.