Without Walls: outdoor arts R&D fund

Without Walls is a consortium of the UK’s most strategically significant outdoor arts festivals who work together to deliver an annual programme of new outdoor arts by British artists.

Since 2007 it has supported 45 companies and delivered 31 new commissions, reaching an audience of over 1.3 million people. With the support of Arts Council England through Grants for the Arts, it’s programme will continue into 2012 and 2013 with new commissions as well as research and development projects.

Without Walls recognises that ambitious new work takes time to bring to fruition and that artists can benefit from the opportunity to explore new ideas as part of the development process, before committing to a full-scale production. Supported R&D can also assist with fundraising for a new project by engaging potential commissioners, supporters and stakeholders in new work.

Artists and companies from any discipline are invited to propose ideas for the development of new outdoor work for presentation in 2013. In particular, Without Walls is looking for work that is innovative and ambitious and that challenges the idea of what outdoor arts can be. Without Walls will invest between £2,000 and £5,000 into each research and development project with the anticipation that several will be taken forward into full production.

For full details and guidance notes go to the Without Walls website. The deadline for proposals (which can be submitted online) is 4 April. Successful projects will be notified by 23 April.

The eight Without Walls consortium members are Brighton Festival, Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, Lakes Alive, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Salisbury Festival, Stockton International Riverside Festival, Winchester Hat Fair and XTRAX Manchester.

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