The Without Walls 2020 Programme features a diverse range of projects, from internationally renowned artists to young upcoming companies. The works span many art forms and genres, pushing the boundary of what outdoor arts can be and reflecting the times we live in. Many of the projects have been adapted thematically and practically to the context of Covid-19 and are designed to thrill, provoke and entertain audiences across the country.

This programme was finalised before the Covid-19 lockdown, with the intention that the projects would be presented at Without Walls partner festivals from May to September 2020. The lockdown has interrupted the plans of all the artists, and Without Walls has prioritised supporting them to complete their rehearsal plans wherever possible. Each artist will be given a platform to showcase their ambitious projects, either in 2020 or 2021, subject to Covid-19 restrictions.

Without Walls 2020 programme includes:

Arrivals + Departures by Yara and Davina: A public artwork about birth, death and the journey in between. The public is invited to share the names of those who have arrived and departed, on live boards, to acknowledge, celebrate and commemorate.

Community Chest by Matthew Harrison: Venture into this giant, mysterious wooden chest for a treasure hunting, puzzle-solving, interactive and immersive escape game experience for people of all ages and abilities to play together.

FeelPlay by Christopher Green: An interactive experience that explores our relationship with modern ‘wellness’ initiatives though inventive participation and ironic dark humour.

Future Cargo by Requardt & Rosenberg: A truck arrives from a distant planet loaded with a mystery shipment. AT LAST! What all those movies promised. A contemporary sci-fi dance show from the makers of Electric Hotel and Motor Show. A strange outdoor spectacle for a headphone-wearing audience.

In Memoriam by Luke Jerram: A new installation created as a temporary memorial to those we have lost during the Covid19 pandemic and also in tribute to NHS staff and key workers.

IRMÃ-sister by DAMAEDANCE: An exhilarating dance duet that is a cutting-edge exploration of the beauty and challenges of women’s relationships, looking at how they affect and shape the way we perceive ourselves and our environment.

MEarth Mothers by Beady Eye: A trio of climate clowns that dance, sing and perform shamanic rituals in astounding costumes. They dare to ask the big questions: why are we wrecking the world and what are we going to do about it?

Roll Play by Simple Cypher: A Hip-Hop and Circus show that combines explosive tricks and artful dexterity on a cyr wheel with thought-provoking storytelling.

The Rascally Diner by LAS Theatre: A fun-filled, messy performance about food and our enjoyment of it. Take part in a ridiculous masterclass in how to transform nutritious ingredients into diabolical creations and hear this tale of dastardly desserts.

There Should be Unicorns by Middle Child Theatre: A gig-theatre family show about a young girl who sets out to change the world, armed only with a BMX and an unshakeable belief in unicorns.

TOAST by Pif Paf: An ambitious beautiful, growing, communal celebration of food, song, story, dance and fire. It happens on and around an ever-moving mobile kitchen cart, hosted by three cooking, storytelling musicians.

Up My Street by The Cultural Assembly: an immersive augmented reality performance trail, experienced through a smartphone and headphones that transports you into a world surrounded by giant graffiti all accompanied by the music of world champion beatboxer, Bellatrix.

What Happened to You? By Nikki Charlesworth: A show for the whole family that explores our preconceptions about disability in a playful and humorous way. Laugh and cry as you follow three raggedy puppets, and their puppeteers, overcome a mountain of challenges trying to get through the day.

WHY? by Gravity and Levity: A re-imagining of a 2005 vertical dance duet, this thrilling performance explores themes of mortality, set to a haunting score of spoken word from award-winning writer Ed Harris. The show is performed by the original cast, exploring conversations around ageing and athleticism.

Without Walls is also delighted to be providing strategic support towards the development of The Hatchling by Trigger – an extraordinary new piece of outdoor work planned for the Mayflower 400 celebrations which will now take place in Plymouth in 2021.

Another of our headline projects for 2020 was The Princess and the Chickpea by Nutkhut – a family performance using circus and dance to tell the story of The Princess and the (Chick) Pea, set in a 16th Century Moghul Court. It was based on a collaboration between leading British South Asian performance company Nutkhut and a number of other UK and international practitioners. The collaborations have unfortunately been affected by the crisis and so this project cannot go forward as intended. Without Walls is working with all partners to explore how the work undertaken to date in the development of the project, can be put to future use.

We thank everyone involved for their creativity, kindness, patience and notably Arts Council England for giving us the financial means to continue investing in artists during such unprecedented times.

Furthermore, we welcome the news that outdoor performance can return with social distancing in place alongside the exciting announcement from our Artistic Directorate partner FESTIVAL.ORG, that Greenwich + Docklands Festival (GDIF) will be the first full UK Outdoor art Festival taking place since lockdown. GDIF will present a selection of shows from the Without Walls portfolio, some of which will be part of GDIF’s annual Dancing City programme. Please visit the GDIF website for the latest news and updates.

We encourage you to explore the programme and help us share their work and stories across social media and through your networks.