Oriente Occidente was founded in 1981 and actively works to reinforce the roles of contemporary dance in Italy. Besides the performances, the association organises artistic residences, seminars, debates and exhibitions. The Festival is a research centre where East and West are intended as poles of an ideal route of exchanges and cross-roads not only between cultures but also between genres and languages of the contemporary scene. The Festival has always hosted new productions by companies and famous international artists who are well-know all over the world. The program includes specific projects for young emerging talent that are supported by the artistic and productive opinion. The latest objective is to guarantee a space of development for the dance presented in its maximum quality and to promote diversity. The project on inclusive dance Moving Beyond Inclusion opens new horizons of development and puts the festival as a role model for other Italian organisations, with the prospective to work in the network of the definition of an institutional and legislative square of reference for this practise that is cultural and artistic but it also touches the social field. 

In 2018 Oriente Occidente won 3 Europe calls for project powered by European Commission and Pro Helvetia fondation: Europe Beyond Access , which aims to reduce disabled artists' isolation but instead extend their horizons; ImPart  devoted to usability of performance arts without barriers and Spark , a project which aims to organize international workshops and the entrance of disabled artists in joining festivals as active observers.