2025 Programme Open Call Snapshot

Between May – October last year, we delivered our 2025 Programme Open Call for artists and companies to submit new project proposals for the Without Walls annual programme.

As a network that works collaboratively to commission new bold and exciting works, we wanted to share more about the process with everyone. In support of the 2025 programme, we have put together a snapshot that shares more details on the proposals we received.

The selection process involves many, many people with multiple meetings across an extended period of time. The timeline for this spans 3-4 months.

• End of July deadline for all submissions
• July to August – Artistic Directorate, Without Walls and Independent Accessors read all applications
• September – Artistic Directorate, Without Walls and Independent Accessors meet for Subgroup’s 1, 2 & 3
• October – Artistic Directorate, Without Walls and Independent Accessors meet for final selection meeting
• Late October Final decisions made, notifications sent to applicants

All the proposals that we receive go through a multi-stage selection process. In the first stage, Artistic Directorate partners come together in sub-groups to review proposals according to artform. Each sub-group comes up with a list of projects that they recommend should be shortlisted. Some proposals will not be taken forward beyond this first stage.

At the next stage the entire Artistic Directorate comes together as a single group to review the recommendations from each sub-group meeting. The Artistic Directorate then selects a programme that meets the priorities of both Without Walls and their individual festivals. To be selected for the final programme, each project will need to have booking interest from several of the partner festivals.

Without Walls also invites independent artistic assessors to take part in the initial stages of the selection process. This allows us to expand the range of knowledge and expertise in the group and to help ensure that a variety of perspectives and lived experiences are included. Independent assessors are only invited to take part if they are not involved in any of the projects under consideration. Likewise, all Artistic Directorate partners must declare if they have an interest in any of the projects being considered, either through financial relationships or personal connections.

Those part of the selection panel included:

• Alison Holder (festival.org)
• Andrew Loretto (Hat Fair)
• Bradley Hemmings (festival.org)
• Clive Lyttle (Certain Blacks)
• Dom Kippin (Activate)
• Holly Gallagher (Stockton International Riverside Festival)
• Jeanefer Jean-Charles (As part of the Artists Advisory Group)
• Juliet Hardy (Stockton International Riverside Festival)
• Kate Wood (Activate)
• Maria Cuervo (Certain Blacks)
• Mark Denbigh (Norfolk & Norwich Festival)
• Matt Evans (Birmingham Hippodrome)
• Parmjit Sagoo (Inspirate)
• Polly Barker (Brighton Festival / Brighton Dome)
• Simon Chatterton (101 Outdoor Arts)

From the 42 shortlisted proposals, 9 projects were selected. Here are how the 9 companies self described their main artform:

1. Installation
2. Dance, Dance Theatre & Theatre
3. Aerial, Circus & Dance Theatre
4. Circus
5. Dance Theatre
6. Circus
7. Dance
8. Dance Theatre, Puppetry
9. Theatre

Please note that the 2025 shows are yet to be announced.

In the coming months we will be announcing the next Programme Open Call. If you have submitted a proposal before or are looking to share one with us for 2026, we will be updating everyone on the criteria in the run up to the announcement. We are always listening and learning from your feedback to make our open calls as accessible as possible. We hope this helps to shed more light on what’s involved.