All universities in Hesse involved in theatrical training, the Hessian state theatres and all municipal theatres, as well as some theatres in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and the Rhineland-Palatinate, are united under the umbrella of the Hessian Theatre Academy, which was founded in 2002. A wide range of contacts and networks between the diverse branches of the performing arts open up a wealth of new opportunities to help students prepare for the complexities of their future artistic careers.

Students may stage examination pieces in the theatres, gaining a first insight into the professional world of theatre and the entire spectrum of theatrical performances. The Academy also holds symposia and summer courses which present a further education platform for stage artists as well as technical and organisational theatre staff. With its project tanzlabor_21, the Hessian Theatre Academy is also involved in the Dance Plan of the German Federal Cultural Foundation; the Academy has its headquarters at Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts.

Since 2006, Prof. Heiner Goebbels, one of the most important figures in the contemporary music and theatre scene, has been president of the training and production association of the Hessian Theatre Academy.