Without Walls is a network of over 35 organisations that brings the best in outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across England. Since its formation in 2007, Without Walls has developed and toured over 200 new shows both in the UK and internationally across 22 countries. These works range from the intimate to the epic, aiming to create high-quality arts experiences that are accessible to all, regardless of personal, social or economic circumstances.
Ralph Kennedy, Chief Executive of Without Walls, joins us on Close-Up Culture to tell us more about these incredible shows.
Hi Ralph, lovely to be speaking with you! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Without Walls?
I’m Chief Executive of Without Walls, a network of over 40 festivals that work in partnership to commission, co-create, and share outdoor work with communities across the country. My responsibilities encompass curating our artistic programme, providing support to the festivals within our network, and devising strategies for bringing new festivals into our network. Additionally, a significant portion of my time is dedicated to advocating for the significance of outdoor arts and ensuring that our programme is recognised as a pivotal component of the country’s cultural landscape. So it’s a varied role!
I think it is important to stress that as Chief Executive, I’m just one of many people who decide on the programme. When we select work each year, the artistic directors of our major festival partners are involved. So when we’re choosing, we’re talking with these organisations to find work which is right for their festivals and for their audiences. That being said, it’s acknowledged that we share a collective curatorial responsibility to ensure that the commissioned works are suitable for national and, ideally, international touring. This is the essence of Without Walls: individual festivals coming together to work in partnership to create and tour the best possible outdoor work across England.
In your own words, how would you describe what Without Walls does?
Without Walls is truly a one-of-a-kind initiative. We exist to innovate artistic approach, collaborative working, financial sustainability, and inclusive practice. Working with artists, producers, and presenting partners, we collectively enable the outdoor arts scene in England to realise its full potential and establish itself as a global leader in the field. We provide R&D funding and commissions for a broad range of artists including those who identify as being deaf, disabled, neurodivergent and from the Global Majority, all of whom are underrepresented in our sector.
We also know that a healthy outdoor sector needs strong, resilient infrastructure, so we provide advice, guidance, and strategic support to festivals of all scales, from grassroots to mid and large-scale presenting partners. Our commitment to inclusive practices and the commissioning of diverse artists, coupled with our extensive network of festival partners, enables us to bring high-quality creative experiences, free of charge, to some of the most underserved communities in the country. In doing so, we democratise access to culture and harness the power of great art to foster a sense of connection, identity, and belonging within communities.
You work with such an exciting range of different festivals and artists, tell us more about what we can expect from Without Walls this year?
We’ve got 13 new shows premiering this year. One to watch is certainly NoFitState’s BAMBOO, which will be at Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Timber Festival. NoFitState is one of the leading modern circus companies in the UK. BAMBOOstarted with a simple question – what alternative renewal materials do we, as a society, need to be using in order to live in balance with the environment. Bamboo is one of them, and the show explores how this incredible natural material is simultaneously rigid and strong, but also totally flexible and malleable. Add in some world class circus skills and you’ve got something that is going to be quite special – and that audiences will love.
Another one is Jennifer Jean Charles’ new dance show Patois. Jennifer is an internationally renowned dance choreographer. Patois intertwines spoken narrative and movement to shed light on this diminishing use of diverse languages. Jeanefer previously produced a show called Black Victorians with Without Walls. Black Victorians delved into the hidden history of black people in Victorian England, earning widespread acclaim for its compelling portrayal of this overlooked narrative. With Patois, Jennifer Jean Charles promises another immersive experience that challenges audiences to reflect on the significance of linguistic diversity in our world today.
Without Walls is Manchester based; why do you think it is important for outdoor art to travel around the country? Why do you think outdoors arts are so important?
Manchester is, in our opinion, the most exciting city in the UK and has an unrivalled critical mass of arts and culture. There really isn’t anywhere like it at the moment for a creative organisation to be based. I moved here 13 years ago and have found not just a place to live but a home.
Being headquartered in Manchester serves as a springboard for our national programme. In recent years, cities and towns across the country have experienced a decline, with once vibrant high streets now dominated by a limited selection of chain stores and charity shops. This trend, fueled by changes in consumer behaviour and reductions in local authority funding, has led to the disappearance of essential community spaces like theatres, libraries and social clubs. It’s evident that our relationship with, and utilisation of, public and civic spaces has shifted, and not necessarily for the better. Outdoor arts have a critical role to play in reserving this trend and allow communities to reimagine the places where they live and work. Festivals in the Without Walls network offer the chance for communities to come together, engage with their surroundings, and foster a sense of connection and creativity.
Why do you think audiences resonate so much with the work that is produced by the company?
I think because it is so accessible and it brings people together in unexpected ways and unexpected places. Soon after joining Without Walls I attended a festival in a small town where Autin Dance Theatre was performing Out of the Deep Blue, a show that features a giant puppet ‘sea creature’ called Eko.Before the performance started, Eko walked through the town centre, joyfully playing with the crowds that gathered to see him and leading them to the performance site. Two teenagers walked transfixed next to me. One turned to the other and said ‘This is the best thing that has ever happened here’. Seeing people genuinely excited about seeing art in the places where they live and work is an incredible feeling. Audiences across England resonate with our work because we create moments of excitement, wonder and pride on their doorsteps.
Are there any exciting plans in the works for the future Without Walls?
We’re really looking forward to expanding the programme and bringing more people together, as well as working with some spectacular festivals and shows!
Find out more – Without Walls Website