Activate has announced a Professionals Programme at Inside Out Dorset 2025 – 4 inspiring days of outdoor performance, creative discussions, networking and conversation.
Inside Out Dorset is an award-winning international outdoor arts festival that takes place across the county every two years. Produced by Activate Performing Arts, Inside Out Dorset is distinctive in the UK for working in both urban and rural outdoor locations across a whole county area. The festival this year takes place across 10 days: 12th-21st September.
We celebrate Dorset and aim to promote our natural landscape and sense of place. Some of Dorset’s most remarkable urban and rural spots are transformed with experiences that touch hearts and minds like nothing else.
You will have the opportunity to see work by local, national and international artists across three sites in Dorset as well as meet the artists involved, hear about their practice and understand how you can work with them in the future. Experience excellent work, from the small-scale and intimate of We Fear’s latest work for just 60 people, newly commissioned giant by Radical Ritual, as part of Nature Calling, and large scale Attakalari and Kinetika Sonnets of Samsara for thousands. An insight from the Artistic Directors on how working with deep levels of local participation is such a feature of the 2025 programme.
This programme is supported by Catalan Arts and part of Nature Calling. It will feature performances from Catalan artists; online pitches; a very tasty Catalan Arts lunch and a networking drinks reception with the artists. It incorporates one of the national series of ‘Study Day’s as part of Nature Calling in partnership with the National Landscape Association and supported by Arts Council England and DEFRA.
Your registration will include transport within Dorset (detailed below), lunch on Friday and Saturday, the Saturday evening drinks reception and all performances and sessions are included. Accommodation, breakfast and evening meals are not included.
Thursday 18th September
15:00: From 15:00, you can arrive at Fairhaven Hotel in Weymouth to check in. Our Professionals Programme Manager, Fee Walker, will be there to greet you and answer any questions you may have.
17:30: Early evening meal at a Weymouth restaurant (TBC). This will be your first chance to meet the other professionals in the cohort, hear about the plans for the weekend from the Inside Out Dorset team and fuel yourself for the first evening of activities.
19:30: Depart Weymouth on a private transfer to Moors Valley Country Park – approx a 1 hour drive.
21:00: Special evening presentation of CANOPY by Lorna Rees, a new co-Commission with Forestry England and the National Arboretum
22:30: Depart Moors Valley Country Park to return to Weymouth
23:30: Arrive back in Weymouth at Fairhaven Hotel
Friday 19th September
08:45: Meet in the lobby of Fairhaven Hotel before heading to Corfe Castle via private transfer – travel time approx 45 mins – 1 hour.
10:00 – 12:30: A morning session at Sandy Hill Arts on Nature Calling, the first national programme of new art commissions by the National Landscapes Association with Activate Performing Arts with focus on Radical Ritual’s Consequences project.
This session will be led by Kate Wood, Executive and Artistic Director of Activate Performing Arts and Co-Artistic Director of Inside Out Dorset, and Bill Gee, Co-Artistic Director of Inside Out Dorset and Kerenza McLarnan, Arts Development and Programme Manager National Landscapes Association
This event is co-presented with Dorset National Landscape and the National Trust.
12:30 – 13:30: Lunch provided by a local caterer.
13:40: A private performance and the world premiere of We Fear Episode V Leviathan especially for our Professional Programme.
16:02 – 16:22: Depart Corfe Castle via the iconic steam train and travel to Swanage via the stunning scenery of the Purbecks. The journey back to Weymouth will then be completed via private transfer.
17:45: Arrive back at Fairhaven Hotel, Weymouth.
18:30: Gather in the Fairhaven Hotel lobby before departing for the evening performance together.
19:00: Performance of Sonnet of Samsara – a collaboration with Kinetika and Attakalari, Bengalaru and 100 local Dorset dancers. The performance starts at Weymouth Town Bridge and weaves through the streets to a finale on the beach opposite the Fairhaven.
20:45: Late dinner at Nautico Lounge in Weymouth – a great opportunity to connect, discuss the performances and debrief the content of the day.
Saturday 20th September
09:00: Meet in the lobby of Fairhaven Hotel before heading to Corfe Castle via private transfer – travel time approx 45 mins – 1 hour.
10:00 – 12:00: A morning session at Sandy Hill Arts with artist pitches from eight incredible Catalan Outdoor Arts companies selected by a joint curation group including Trapezi, Sismograf, Fira Tarrega and Inside Out Dorset. The session will be moderated by Laia Gasch Casals (Director of World Cities Cultural Forum).
The Catalan Artists who will be pitching are:
- Eléctrico 28
- Nacho Flores
- Cris Clown
- Hermanas Picohueso
- Moon Ribas & Quim Girón
- Vero Cendoya
- Xumo Nunjio & Jim Parris
- Sergi Estebanell
12:30 – 14:00: Catalan Arts lunch and opportunity to meet wide range of artists, funders and people working in Protected Landscapes followed by an afternoon of performances.
14:00 – 14:45: Arrels by Toc de Fusta – Arrels is a collection of twenty games based on various cultural traditions. Each game has its own story and characters waiting for you to enjoy.
14:45 – 15:30: Idiòfona by Joan Català – Performer Joan Català gathers an audience to build an incredible, large sound installation. Using his well-honed style of physical performance, Joan has created a unique performance with metal tubes that brings together the ideas of material, space and community.
16:00 – 16:55: Poi by Cie D’es Tro – Poi – the spinning top – a toy on the verge of extinction. Prepare to be mesmerised by the story of a man trapped by the gyroscopic effect of his spinning top.
17:10 – 18:00: Consequences by Radical Ritual – A monumental new creature is being created for the Dorset National Landscape, inspired by the mystery of the Cerne Abbas Giant. Artist Becca Hill will join the group for this session for questions and discussion on the work.
18:30 – 19:30: Drinks at Sandy Hill Arts with the artists and creative teams from the Corfe performances.
19:30: Depart Corfe for return to Weymouth
20:30: Arrive at Weymouth. There will not be a group dinner on Saturday – a list of suggested restaurants will be shared.
Sunday 21st September
09:45: We will meet in the lobby of Fairhaven Hotel before heading to Corfe Castle via private transfer – travel time approx 45 mins – 1 hour.
11:00 – 12:30: A round table discussion event on:
Arts in public space and their audiences, exploring outdoor arts made and presented in urban spaces and outdoor arts made in response to natural and protected landscapes.
The round table discussion will be chaired by OutdoorArtsUK and speakers will include:
- Becca Gill, Artistic Director of Radical Ritual
- Ali Pretty, Artistic Director of Kinetika on Beach of Dreams
- Jayachandran Palazy, Attakalari
- Kate Wood and Bill Gee – Co-Artistic Directors of Inside Out Dorset
12:30: Conclusion of Inside Out Dorset Professionals Programme. Delegates are then welcome to explore Corfe, revisit any performances in the programme or depart. A shuttle will be provided to Wareham train station for those with onward rail journeys.
Find out more about their artistic programme here.
