Discover 2026 OPEN CALL

Eligibility  Timeline  Access  

Discover is Without Walls’ entry point for artists, directors, designers and other creative practitioners who are new to the outdoor arts sector to learn more about what it means to make and tour work outdoors. 

Through a structured series of group sessions, a festival visit and individual development support, participants are offered a broad insight into, and understanding of, what working in outdoor arts means. A key aim of the programme is to increase the representation of those who are currently underserved and underrepresented across the sector, particularly people who identify as being from the Global Majority, Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent, and those from working-class or lower socio-economic backgrounds.

An image of three female dancers with a background audience.
An image of a performer doing a handstand on a wheelchair with one hand holding the chair and the other leaning on a female performer who is doing a crab like pose. There is a cloudy sky in the background.
Fiver black performers stand together wearing black tops and large colourful hoop skirts. They are looking in the same direction with neutral faces.

KEY CHANGES FROM 2025

The 2026 programme is a redesigned model, moving to a smaller cohort of eight with a more structured arc:

  • Four online group sessions 
  • A festival visit (Freedom Festival, Hull, 5 – 6 September 2026) with a co-produced guest session afterwards
  • Individual support and mentoring (two hours per participant)
  • Structured check-ins at six and 12 months
  • Final reflections session

All participants who complete the programme receive a development award of £500 to support a self-defined next step in their outdoor arts practice.

DISCOVER PROGRAMME 2025

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Discover Programme 2026, you must:

  • Be based in the UK
  • Be 18 or over
  • Be working in or exploring a creative or production role in the arts
  • Be new to outdoor arts, or at an early stage of exploring it — no prior outdoor arts experience is required
  • Be available for the festival visit to Freedom Festival, Hull, on 5 – 6 September 2026

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as:

  • From the Global Majority
  • Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent
  • From a working-class or lower socio-economic background
  • From the LGBTQIA+ community

TIMELINE

Open call goes live: Tuesday 2 June 2026
Deadline for submission of all proposals: Wednesday 1 July 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Notification of supported projects: Monday 13 July 2026
Supported projects to be completed by: November/December 2026

HOW TO APPLY

ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING FORM

ACCESS

We are committed to making all our processes as accessible as possible. 

Please contact Dom Kippin, Without Walls Head of Programme at [email protected] if you have any questions about your proposal.

DISCOVER PROGRAMME 2026 BSL VIDEO COMING SOON

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We’ve collated the commonly asked questions to help guide you through what we’re looking for on our FAQ page.

If you have any questions about the Discover Open Call, and you can’t find the answers you’re looking for on the website or have specific questions relating to your proposal, you can request a 1-1 phone or video call with a member of the programme team at Without Walls to answer any questions.

To arrange a call, or ask any questions, please email Dom Kippin, Without Walls Head of Programme at [email protected].

Image credits (from left to right):

Image 1: Roots to Rise by Nandita Shankardass © Tom Morley

Image 2: Anchored in Air by Head over Wheels © Hugo Glendinning

Image 3: Black Victorians by Jeanefer Jean Charles © Ash Mills