Here is your Outdoor Arts roundup – find out what’s happening over the next few weeks…
Woolwich | 22 Sep | Hi! Street Fest returns to Woolwich, Farrah the Fox’s hometown, for a spectacular finale event featuring every puppet Farrah has met on her journey from Lowestoft, to Gosport, to Stalybridge. The host puppets have been created with residents through weeks of community workshops and activities with Emergency Exit Arts and Thingumajig Theatre, in partnership with Historic England.
Newhaven, Hailsham and Bexhill | 22-24 Sep | Journeys Festival of Dance will be held in Newhaven, Hailsham and Bexhill on 22-24 Sep. Head along to experience a unique festival that brings excellent quality dance performance to everyday outdoor space, raising the profile of dance, encouraging participation and reflecting local diversity. Featuring Norcross Dance Students, Compagnie Bilbobasso, Corina Piatti Tango Trio, and Public Tango Workshops with Carola Degener-Pereira from Round in Circles.
Derby | Until 23 Sep | Derby Festé has a programme packed full of immersive, innovative, and ground-breaking work showcased across the city of Derby for a whole range of audiences of all ages. Prepare for a spectacular line-up of outdoor circus and dance, dazzling acrobatics, the community procession and more… Forests by Rogue Play, Fireside by Nikki & JD, Nathan Geering A.K.A Awesome Wolf, The Whale by Circo Rum Ba Ba, WilderNests by Handmade Theatre, Rush by Joss Arnott Dance, Parade by Autin Dance Theatre, Lungs of Our City by 2Faced Dance, Look Mum! No Hands by Mimbre and Daryl & Co, Castaway by Highly Sprung, Strictly Cycling by Bicycle Ballet Co, Roll Play by Simple Cypher, Finale by Delrevés, Farmyard Circus, Cog in the Wheel by Def Motion, Dovetail by Vanhulle Dance Theatre, Soundcatchers by Jess Murray & Mitch Oldham, Totems by Compagnie des Quidams. OAUK will be there for a Drop-In Breakfast (Sat 23 Sep, 10-11.30am).
Romford | Until 24 Sep | Murmurations at Bedfords Park is theatre with a difference and a chance to explore a hidden local treasure, presented by Havering Changing and Tangled Feet. Take a walk on the wild side, put on a pair of headphones, meet your tour guide and walk through the stunning natural landscape of Bedfords Park – a nature reserve on the edge of a city.
Cork | Until 24 Sep | Pitch’d Circus & Street Arts Festival brings Cork alive with the magic of circus and street arts. Prepare to be dazzled, enchanted, and utterly captivated by diverse and high-quality performances: A Snail’s Tale by Dunn Create, The Jack Wise Show by Jack Wise, Dodo the Wandering Hobo by Barry Clown, Che Fa, Concilia? by Lorenzo Baronchelli/Ambaradan, Le Popéra by Curious State, Casting Off by A Good Catch, Bailarinas by Daniel Gonçalves, Beach Barrage by Those Two Idiots, The Grannies by Bill & Fred Productions, 51 Removals by Elisa Gallo Rosso, and On Tish by Síolta Circus.
Dorset | Until 24 Sep | InsideOut Dorset is an international outdoor arts festival where some of Dorset’s most remarkable urban and rural spots are transformed with experiences that touch hearts and minds like nothing else. With performances from De Chair et d’Os, Collectief Walden, Akademi, Transe Express, Alice Stevens, and Laura Reid. OAUK will be there with a Festival Focus cohort!
London | Until 30 Sep | Totally Thames is an annual season of unique, diverse and accessible arts and culture throughout September with activities taking place on, beneath, and along the River Thames, including The Line, XAP (Cross Arts Projects), and Camilla Brendon.
USA | Until 1 Oct | The Charlotte International Arts Festival, a Blumenthal Performing Arts Original, uniquely brings together Charlotte’s local and international communities with global artists in a cultural celebration filled with live performances, art installations, food from around the world and more.
U.S. | Until 5 Nov | The Walk (Little Amal)is going on tour to more than 100 free and open-to-the-public Events of Welcome as she journeys joyously across the United States. more than 1000 artists and arts organizations of every kind will come together to create a traveling festival of art and hope, sharing Amal’s urgent message to the world: ‘????????????’???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????’.
Redruth | 23 Sep | The Deep Sea Disco welcomes all to an underwater world of sensory delights, live performances and disco beats for those who are disabled, neurodivergent and younger children. The event starts slow, and includes free face-painting, a crafty activity in our Quietish Cave chillout zone, a meeting with Hotch Potch’s Washed up Mermaid & of course the DISCO featuring a live DJ!
Cumbria | 23 Sep | Kendal Torchlight is back for 2023! After 3 years of Covid measures, Torchlight is returning to Kendal town centre for a Street Festival, featuring The Ragtag Roadshow by Ragtag Arts & Community Scrapstore, and a community procession.
Barnsley | 23 Sep | The Barnsley Garden Party is a free family event with dancers, circus performers, brass bands and acrobats produced by Barnsley Civic and The Glass Works, in partnership with Without Walls. The programme is full of outdoor arts including Timeless by Joli Vyann, For the Love of Stuff by Earthbound, The Maniax by MarkMark Productions, Out of the Deep Blue by Autin Dance Theatre, Enchanted Flower Globe by The Show Globe, SEED by Pif-Paf Theatre, Frumptarn Guggenband, Mr. Wilson’s Second Liners and more!
Hounslow | 23 Sep | Moving Poles at Bell Square London is a thrilling theatrical event performed by Belgium’s acclaimed outdoor theatre company Cirq’ulation Locale who defy gravity and logic with elegance and skill.
Billingham | 23-24 Sep | Festival of Thrift is the national celebration of sustainable living – a unique and distinctive free weekend of arts, culture and celebration. There are lots of outdoor arts this year: Fairies by We Great Ladies, Rapskallion by Greener Lavelle, Massive Thrifty Dance Battle with Extra Bad Dancing, Random Acts of Kindness, and Thrifty Photobooth by The Institute of Thrifty Ideas, The Blue Deity by Tees Valley Festivals Volunteering, Teabreak by Trigger, For the People, By the People by Whippet Up plus Amelia Coburn, WILD by Motionhouse, Flood by Theatre Temoin, The Bees by Artizani, Out of the Deep Blue by Autin Dance Theatre, Sustainability Squad and Team BGee by Mark Mark Productions, The Wheel by IOU Theatre, Fat Cat Brass Band, and The Baghdaddies.
Houghton | 24 Sep | Houghton Regis Hullabaloo is a free festival which celebrates art and performance, produced by Full House Theatre in partnership with community youth arts project Houghton Regis Art Town. There’ll be an array of exciting free shows, such as Everywhere’s a Beach by Hikapee, and Look Mum, No Hands! by Mimbre and Daryl & Co, workshops and drop-in activities throughout the day ending with a fun-filled Family Beach Party!
Bournemouth | 29 Sep – 1 Oct | Arts by the Sea is a celebration of art, culture, people and place, bringing together large-scale spectaculars, diverse music, intriguing installations, dance, street theatre, participatory experiences and much more…Don’t miss the festival opening ceremony (29 Sep) and an immersive projection experience by The Media Workshop, PORTAL by Lucid Creates, Break Down Walls by Pavilion Dance South West, The Blockbuster Factory by Cat and Mouse Theatre, TOAST by Pif-Paf Theatre, Serving Sounds by Working Boys Club, Eau de Memoire by Miss High Leg Kick, The Guy in the Luggage Rack by She Said Jump, Teabreak by Trigger, Take Ten by Fluid Motion Theatre, The Black Victorians by Jeanefer Jean-Charles MBE, Big Gay Disco Bike by Fatt Projects, Orchestra of Objects, Gugge 2000, The Fandangoe Kid, and The Hush Club.
Taunton | 29 Sep – 1 Oct | The Sound of the Streets Festival returns for 2023. A free weekend of music and performances with lots of opportunities to join in with workshops & participatory sessions led by fantastic musicians.
Newbury | 30 Sep | Mo and the Red Ribbon at 101 Outdoor Arts will follow a promenade route through the centre of Newbury as French artists L’Homme Debout tell Mo’s story through a beautifully crafted giant puppet and a sequence of colourful and larger-than-life scenes.
Bristol | 1-22 Oct | Circus City: The Outsider Edition is a new three-week international festival of contemporary circus. Performances, workshops, talks, films and industry events will explore a common thread of human-object relations, transformation and interventions into the way people, bodies and situations can be seen and navigated. Outdoor arts shows include Tess by Ockham’s Razor, Books! by Tit For Tat Circus, The Shape of Belonging by Whispering Woods & the Murmuration Choir.
Milton Keynes | 4-7 Oct | The City of Code and Light Festival is a four-day festival of innovation, art, science, and technology. The festival will host an array of workshops, academic seminars, thought talks, and artist-commissioned installations, all within the MK City Library. Don’t miss the digital lantern parade, with mesmerising luminous giant puppets by street theatre company Inko-Nito, making its way to Campbell Park for the laser and music show finale (Sat 7 Oct).
Spain | 5-8 Oct | Fira Mediterrània is a multidisciplinary event with a three-part programme: Mediterranean world and folk music scene; performing arts, with dance, theatre, circus and street theatre; popular and traditional culture.
UK-wide | 6-8 Oct | Fun Palaces supports local people to co-create their own cultural and community events, across the UK and worldwide, sharing and celebrating the genius in everyone.
