Welcoming our 2026 Touring Network Partners

The Touring Network Partnership (TNP) is a network of festivals across England, mostly based in areas of lower arts provision. The partner organisations are a mixture of Creative People and Places (CPP), local authorities, venues and arts organisations.

Derby Festé

Derby City Council (Derby Festé) is a leading platform for outdoor arts in the Midlands, providing performance opportunities for artists and unforgettable experiences for audiences. Delivered in city centre public spaces, Festé is free to attend and features the best in dance, contemporary circus and outdoor performance from regional, national and international companies. We work with local artists providing a platform to showcase their talent and build professional networks.

Derby Festé is in a transitionary period as it establishes new approaches to management and delivery. Membership of the Touring Network at this time will provide a valuable opportunity to benefit from peer learning, build professional networks and partners, learn (and share) good practice, and develop approaches to supporting artform development. We also welcome the opportunity to include shows from the Without Walls catalogue, recognising the professional quality of activity, and the support this provides to emerging outdoor arts companies.

Full House Theatre

Full House Theatre is a charity and arts organisation dedicated to creating and delivering high-quality theatre, performance projects, and participatory arts activities for, by, and with children and young people, particularly those from marginalised or under-served communities. Our work is guided by a clear vision: for every child to hold treasured memories of theatre. We believe that access to exceptional arts experiences should be universal, and we strive to make this a reality through inclusive, imaginative programming.

Joining the Without Walls Touring Network is a great chance for us to deepen our work with high‑quality outdoor arts and bring even more creative experiences to families and communities who don’t often get access to them. We can’t wait for the people we work with to enjoy bold, diverse and inspiring outdoor performances. We’re looking forward to sharing ideas, learning together and being part of the Without Walls community.

SO Festival

SO Festival is a free, international outdoor arts festival that takes place in public spaces within Skegness and Mablethorpe, reimagining these coastal towns as open-air stages where culture, community, and creativity intersect.

We are also more than a festival, working year-round to support creatives and cultural organisations through training, such as a Supported Artist Scheme, workshops, networking and advocacy and to engage our communities in cultural activity. We are committed to empowering local people to collaboratively unlock the transformative power of culture to improve skills, learning, and health and wellbeing.

SO Festival wanted to join the TNP in order to expand our horizons and partnerships when it comes to festival programming. We feel that being part of the TNP enables our team to collaborate on a national level as well as hyper-local. Over the next few years we want to bring meaningful creative and cultural experiences to our audiences, transparency and artist development opportunities to our creatives, and be a leading voice in outdoor arts and community working within Lincolnshire.

Wigan Council

Wigan Council is eager to join the Without Walls Touring Network Partnership as part of its commitment to expanding high‑quality, accessible outdoor arts across the borough. Through its new five‑year cultural strategy, The Fire Within: The Forge, the council places environment, placemaking and health at the heart of its cultural ambition; values that closely align with Without Walls’ mission to bring extraordinary outdoor arts to diverse communities.

This shared vision enables Wigan Council to take a long‑term, strategic approach to outdoor arts and to invest sustainably in creative experiences that connect people with place. Underpinned by the corporate strategy Progress with Unity, the council is focused on fairness, tackling inequalities and helping all towns thrive. As major physical regeneration continues across the borough, Wigan Council sees outdoor arts as a powerful catalyst for collective joy, imagination and local pride, animating newly revitalised public spaces and enriching community life.

Wonder Arts 

Wonder Arts (in partnership with Wigan Council) believe magical artistic experiences have the power to change peoples’ lives. We are a children and families organisation operating exclusively in non-traditional spaces and the public realm in northern towns of Wigan and St Helens. We specifically engage children, young people and families who would not normally access, and don’t otherwise benefit from the arts, with cultural experiences which enrich their quality of life.

Wonder Arts has been a member of Without Walls Creative Development Network for the previous three years. We are delighted to take the next step on our journey with Without Walls by joining the Touring Network Partnership and excited to be doing this via our joint membership with the wonderful Wigan Council. We look forward to the opportunity to network, be inspired and bring the very best outdoor work to Wigan and St Helens.

FULL LIST OF TOURING NETWORK PARTNERS