How do outdoor arts have the potential to reach audiences other artforms can’t, and how can we best support the sector, asks Penny Mills.
The Audience Agency’s past six years of sector-partnered research paints a positive picture of the inspiring and creative outdoor arts that take place in our cities, towns, villages, hillsides and beaches across the country. Audiences are wide-ranging, youthful, diverse, aligned with the English population and representative of a public not frequently engaged in the arts.
Partnerships between venues and festivals provide opportunities for a year-round presence, while strategic... more
Taking an outdoor show on tour presents many challenges, quite different to those for venue-based touring. Irene Segura explains how a consortium model is supporting artists and companies.
Losing NPO funding was devastating for Dance Manchester, but it has liberated the company to pursue its own path driving placemaking through outdoor work, says Deb Ashby.
For people reluctant to pay to see a full-length Shakespeare play, the RSC’s open-air, non-ticketed theatre staging amateur productions offers a relaxed alternative, says Nicola Salmon.
Alison Fordham explains how IF: Milton Keynes International Festival’s programme of outdoor events is a key audience development and placemaking tool for the town.
Partnering with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty has created opportunities for Activate to bring exciting contemporary art to stunning outdoor settings. Kate Wood explains how.
Outdoor events have been key to attracting tourists to Kent’s coastal towns and driving culture-led regeneration, says Sarah Dance.
A research project examining Leicester’s 24 arts festivals uncovered interesting insights into audience behaviour and preferences. Richard Fletcher discusses the findings.