I have come to the end of a fantastic 15months with OutdoorArtsUK (OAUK) and have been asked to write a blog about leadership and reflecting on my role as Associate Director. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t really dabble in social media. I don’t blog, vlog, “gog,” or even clog up Facebook with nonsense. So, the fact that I am sitting here writing this is a milestone in and of itself. I am dedicating this first (and perhaps only!) blog to my time at OutdoorartsUK – a period defined by firsts, favourites, and genuine fun.
My OAUK journey began at the tail end of November 2024 in the midst and critical time of planning for the National Conference 2025: Equity in Action: The Power of Diverse Narratives. Hitting the ground running and getting to grips with all things OAUK. I had never attended the National Conference before, so it was a great first to kick off with and exciting to put this beast together with the small but mighty team of Sho Shibata, Director, David Doust, General Manager, and Phoebe Rodway, Marketing Manager. Descending on Stoke-on-Trent for my first conference was a baptism by fire. Observing my mentor, Sho Shibata, lead with such experience and practiced professionalism was my first lesson in Strategic Presence. David Doust is a truly remarkable General Manager, an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside and the rock that holds OAUK firmly together.
More recently, I worked with the team to deliver the National Conference 2026: Change On Our Streets in Cambridge. This was a full circle moment for me having the chance to build on what I learnt from 2025, and presenting to an even larger audience of 500 delegates (100 more than the previous year!).
One of my primary missions as Associate Director was managing the Boost Programme. Boost is designed to support OAUK’s ambition to make more diverse voices heard within the Outdoor Arts sector and I was especially drawn to the opportunity to help uplift the diversity of the sector. To oversee and manage Boost and investigate ways to enhance the offer and make it a more rewarding experience for marginalised groups was a challenge I welcomed enthusiastically. As a former technical stage manager and lecturer, I have a passion for educating and supporting the next generation of emerging talent and working with underrepresented communities.
My calendar over the last 15 months was generously filled with a mix of planning, delivering and gently being encouraged to embrace all things out of my comfort zone. Challenging but rewarding, I was gradually able to embrace public speaking. I will never forget being invited to speak as part of the Bradford 2025 opening reception alongside Shanaz Gulzar, Bradford 2025 Creative Director, and Susan Hinchcliff, Leader of Bradford Council. What followed was the opportunity to chair a panel discussion on International Collaboration at Stockton International Riverside Festival alongside Xtrax; host a round table discussion on Arts in Public Space and their Audiences at Inside Out Dorset and represent UK Outdoor arts in Fira Tárrega with a presentation on Navigating International Touring Post Brexit alongside the formidable Maggie Clarke from Xtrax,
One of my favourite projects during my time at OAUK was curating the Festival Focus programme for BD:Festival in Bradford, where I supported a cohort of OAUK members to navigate the festival, creating engaging conversations and organising Q and A sessions with artists, programmers and producers of the festival. Many of these conversations were about how the outdoor arts sector plays an indispensable role in enriching the cultural landscape of the UK, fostering community cohesion, and generating significant economic benefits.
FRESH STREET in Great Yarmouth was another first and favourite – hosted in the UK for the first and only time as part of Out There Festival 2025, co-organised by Circostrada and Out There Arts in partnership with OAUK. This was another key opportunity to meet members and immerse myself in the fantastic atmosphere of outdoor arts creatives and witness again how the sector has the superpower to innovate the arts as an effective means to engage with communities.
I also had the opportunity to coordinate and host two online training sessions as part of OAUK’s Winter Webinars programme: one on Martyn’s Law with counter-terrorism expert Russ Philips and one on Trans and Non-Binary Awareness with Gendered Intelligence. The Outdoor Arts sector operates in diverse environments, from town centre pedestrian areas and parks, to festival fields and temporary event spaces. This inherent variability presents both opportunities and challenges when considering the impact of what might affect the sector. Going forward, I very much want to continue working on conversations around an outdoor arts Anti-Racism Rider.
OAUK are certainly very visible with 121 sessions, Online Drop-ins and Member Regional Meetings across the country, enabling the organisation to keep up to date and in touch with members and the wider sector. Connecting people, advocating for and being the eyes and ears of the sector with such a small team is no mean feat. Phoebe Rodway, Marketing and Communications Manager, completes the mighty team with regular newsletters, sector updates, blogs and branding. It’s refreshing to witness a team that works so hard and compliment each other so well. With a magic wand I would grant an uplift for this formidable growing organisation, whose work is not only important for the sector but vital to the wider economy of Outdoor Arts.
Working with OAUK has truly been one of the best chapters of my professional career. Even with decades of experience in the industry, I have learned so much in the short but packed 15 months with this amazing team and organisation. The leadership in Sho Shibata is transparent, genuine and visionary, the backbone of the organisation and daily management in David Doust is remarkable and the communications, branding and broadcast of sector information beautifully managed by Phoebe Rodway is a force to harness, nurture and totally support. This, and the wonderful hands-on support of the Board is the true magic of OAUK. Fingers crossed I find magic again in my onward journey.
Thank you all for having me.
– Samantha Nurse, Outgoing Associate Director of OutdoorArtsUK
