What amount can I request?
You can request up to £10,000 through Blueprint.

How many grants are available?
There is not a fixed number of grants available. We typically support up to 6 projects as part of Blueprint 2026.

Do I need to have made outdoor work before I submit a proposal?
No – many of the projects that we support are by artists who are creating work for the outdoors for the first time.

Who makes the decisions about the programme?
Without Walls Artistic Directorate – a group of nine organisations responsible for the artistic decision making of Without Walls.

Do I need to know a member of the Artistic Directorate in order to be selected?
No – part of the purpose of running open calls is so that our partners have the chance to discover new artists. Every year the Without Walls programme features many artists who are new to either the outdoor arts sector or to creating work through Without Walls.

Can I complete my application in an alternative format?
Yes –  you can upload your application in a video or audio format. If you’d like to complete your application in a different format, please send your application to [email protected].

Your video should be no longer than 8 minutes. We’d anticipate a video to be between 5 and 8 minutes in length. Further details on what to include can be found in the Guidance document.

Can I apply for support for a project that has been unsuccessful at Without Walls in the past?
Yes – but do outline how your new proposal is different from your previous proposal, and whether any further development work on the project has been carried out since your last submission.

Can I request support towards an installation or durational piece?
Yes – if possible, tell us how the audience will experience or interact with the project and how many people you expect will experience the finished piece in the course of one day/session.

Can I apply for Blueprint with a piece that requires the involvement of local/community participants at each festival?
Yes – but detail your requirements in terms of recruiting and supporting community involvement, including what is required in recruiting local participants.

Can I include international cast members or collaborators in my project?
Yes –  but for international cast members we would encourage the company to look carefully at the international travel costs, practicality and overall environmental impact. 

If this is the only way you can develop your project, when submitting your proposal please indicate how many performers this would apply to, their nationalities and which countries they will be travelling from. Artists and companies will hold primary responsibility for ensuring that all Visa requirements are met.

What do you mean when you ask whether a project is ‘led by’ a particular group of people?
In order for us to consider a project as being ‘led by’ a particular group of people, the majority of people involved in the creative direction of the project should identify as belonging to the group in question. 

What do I need to include in my budget?
You should include all costs related to the research and development that you will be undertaking, including all artists/creative fees, materials, rehearsal space and costs. If you are VAT registered, please do not include VAT that you can reclaim.  

Is there any guidance to how much match funding you might expect towards the Blueprint funds?
No match funding is needed for Blueprint.

Payments to Artists
You need to show the fees and wages of artists involved in your project. Please show us how overall fees have been calculated and the rates at which people are paid.

We are committed to making sure that artists are paid for their work. There are recognised codes of practice set by relevant lead organisations. If you need any help or advice on this, Arts Council England has an information sheet on fair pay. You can also take a look at Independent Theatre Council’s rates of pay.

Can I include the costs of a producer in my project budget?
Yes – if doing so, please provide a clear breakdown of producer fees as part of your project budget.

Can I use other funding in addition to Blueprint to support my project?
Yes – many artists will seek other funding for their projects, including earned income, commissions, Local Authority funding, private income, income from grant making trusts, crowd funding or other Public Funding.

Please clearly describe the funding, whether this is expected or confirmed and, when applicable, when you are expecting to have an answer. It is not an absolute requirement from Without Walls to have additional funding.

Do I need to include funding from commissioners and co-commissioners and other partners outside of the Without Walls network?
Yes – if you have them.  Let us know which partners have committed support and explain any conditions attached to their investment.

Do I need to include in-kind support?
This is dependent on how you choose to present your budget, but it is helpful if you can demonstrate external partnership support. You do not need to have in-kind support to be eligible for Blueprint. 

I have received some development money from Arts Council England National Lottery Funds to research my piece. Can I still apply for Blueprint funds?
Yes – provided the R&D work that you want to undertake as part of Blueprint is clearly separate from the R&D work supported by National Lottery Funds. Please note that Without Walls R&D funds cannot be used as match funding to an Arts Council Project Grants application.

I am waiting on the outcome of a grant / funding application. Do I include this in the budget?
If this will form part of your budget please include it and give the date of when the outcome of the application will be known.

What happens after I submit my proposal?
We will contact you to let you know whether your project has been shortlisted. At that point we may ask for an update on your plans or for further information about the material you have provided. A timeline will be provided as part of the Open Call.