BOOST Programme is a free 12-month membership to OutdoorArtsUK for Disabled and Global Majority individuals or organisations that have leaders with these protected characteristics.
Boost is designed to support OAUK’s ambition to get more diverse voices heard within the Outdoor Arts sector. Through Boost, OAUK will nurture deeper relationships with people who are embedded within underrepresented communities, and your engagement with us will help the sector become more diverse and inclusive. OAUK is powered by our members, so we are only as good and effective as who makes up our membership.
There are up to five positions available, and the free 12-month membership will start in December 2026.
BOOST Programme Benefits
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£200 travel and accommodation bursary plus a free ticket to the OutdoorArtsUK National Conference 2027: Joy is a Civic Force (2 – 3 Feb 2027)
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£200 travel bursary, free accommodation and a guaranteed place at one of our Festival Focus events: Whirligig Outdoor Festival of Arts in Weston-Super-Mare (Early June) or Stockton International Riverside Festival (Early August)
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Mentorship time with the OutdoorArtsUK Director Sho Shibata and General Manager David Doust
OutdoorArtsUK Membership Benefits
Participants gain access to all OAUK’s standard membership benefits, which include:
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Networking & support opportunities (e.g. Member Regional Meetings, Online & In-person Member Drop-ins, Member 1-2-1s)
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Free and discounted training opportunities (e.g. Winter Webinars, Independent Theatre Council Training)
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Be in the know with outdoor arts sector news, exclusive content, training opportunities, job listings, and member-only discounts (e.g. Members Newsletter, Members Blog and Members Dashboard)
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Opportunities to participate in advocacy for Outdoor Arts
Individualised Development and Networking
In addition to the core benefits, the Boost Programme offers tailored opportunities:
- Individualised Goals: Participants will have the opportunity to develop a set of individualised goals with OAUK’s Director and General Manager.
- Networking Meetings: Participants will attend quarterly online meetings with other individuals/organisations in the programme.
- 1-2-1s: Have regular access to book 1-2-1s with the staff team.
About OutdoorArtsUK
OutdoorArtsUK is a national membership organisation that advocates for and supports artists, festival makers and producers who bring high-quality works of art to outdoor spaces. We are an eclectic group of people, but we are united by the belief that Outdoor Arts makes the creative experience and its wider benefits more readily available for everyone. By taking great art to directly into communities, we reach individuals who have very few opportunities to engage with arts and culture otherwise. No other arts sector can level the playing field like we do.
OutdoorArtsUK is led by its Director Sho Shibata, who has extensive knowledge of Disability inclusion having worked with Stopgap Dance Company for 16 years, and as an ethnically diverse leader, he participates in several race equality initiatives including the Race Advisory Group for Arts Council England.
Applicant Eligibility
- Disabled or Global Majority individual
Or
- An organisation that is Disabled or Global Majority-Led
- No previous Outdoor Arts experience necessary, but must have demonstrable commitment and interest in the sector
- Must not have had an existing OAUK membership
Part of the selection and application process will be dependent on availability to attend:
- Quarterly meetings with OAUK and the other Boost participants, (January, May, August, November)
- A Festival Focus Event: Whirligig Outdoor Festival of Arts in Weston-super-Mare (Early June) or Stockton International Riverside Festival (Early August)
- Our annual National Conference: Joy is a Civic Force (2-3 Feb 27)
An organisation is Disability/Global Majority-led if 50% of its significant decision makers are made up of people with these protected characteristics. For example, an organisation is Disabled-led if its Artistic Director and chair are Disabled but Executive Director is non-disabled (66% Disabled-led).
Access
We are dedicated to ensuring our services are accessible to everyone. We encourage you to state in your application form any specific access requirements you may have, and we will do our best to accommodate them. We are happy to discuss adjustments related to physical access, communication, and other support needs. For clarity, please note that childcare is not a service we provide or provide support for. Please contact David@outdoorartsuk.org if you have any questions about your individual needs.
How to Apply
Apply by completing the online application form.
Alternatively, you can send a video or an audio recording of your answers to the questions in the application form. It should be no more than 8 minutes in length
Your application should be sent to info@outdoorartsuk.org.
You will be invited to an interview following the successful application process where you can tell us more about your work. The interviews will be held on Monday November 9th so please hold this in your calendar if you apply.
If you would like to speak to OAUK to find out more about the programme, please do get in touch through the above email address or call us on 07366 146389
The deadline for Boost 26/27 is now closed.
Image credits:
- Community Carnival at Stockton International Riverside Festival 2026, Stockton Council
- Bloom by Upswing Aerial, on Shipley Market Square, co-produced by Upswing and Bradford 2025 City of Culture, September 2025, photo: David Lindsay
