Delegate passes are now on sale for the No Boundaries arts and culture conference taking place here at HOME on Tue 29 and Wed 30 September.
Supported by Arts Council England and the British Council, sponsored by UK legal firm TLT, and forming part of State of the Arts, the Arts Council’s thought leadership programme, this year’s conference is once again live-linked across two cities as a parallel event will be hosted by the Watershed in Bristol.
The conference presents questions and challenging new ideas on the role of arts and culture, and seeks to find positive approaches to influence change and support the sector’s growth in a world where there is a new normal every week. Produced by a consortium of arts organisations including Pilot Theatre (York), and Bristol’s Festival of Ideas, this year’s conference will follow last year’s innovative format which live-linked two Bristol and York. Delegates here and in Bristol will provide delegates with a rich and diverse schedule of events and speakers, alongside connected breakout areas for conversation and networking designed to bring ideas, spaces, and delegates together.
In addition to the delegate passes, applications for artist bursaries are also open, with 40 free spaces being made available (20 in each city) via a ballot system. And as people sign up, the consortium is also asking for the industry to put forward issues they would like to be discussed this year.
Last year’s conference was attended by 400 delegates, split equally between Bristol and York, and attracted a high profile and diverse array of speakers including RSA Chair Vikki Heywood; Bigga Fish CEO Nii Sackey; Executive Director of Cast, Doncaster, Kully Thiarai; political theorist Dr Benjamin R Barber; and, from Kenya, Joy MBoya, Artistic Director of Nairobi’s Godown Arts Centre. To review all the provocations, and discussion, read the evaluation report.
Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair, Arts Council England says: “Last year’s conference was a huge success and we look forward to a similar meeting of minds in September – something which will be even more important given that by then we will have had a general election and a spending review so the arts and culture landscape may have changed. The State of the Arts events are great platforms to encourage creative thinking and to stimulate debate.”
Graham Sheffield CBE, Director Arts British Council says: “We are pleased to be working with our partners Arts Council England, Watershed and HOME to bring No Boundaries back in 2015. We were delighted that the conference reached many across the world and included speakers from Kenya, New Zealand and the US among others in 2014. It is ever more important that the UK and international cultural sectors work together in partnership to make an increased positive impact in international relations and understanding. We look forward once again to lively and inspiring debate.”
Our director and CEO, Dave Moutrey, says: “We are delighted to be teaming up with Watershed, Arts Council England and British Council to produce No Boundaries 2015. Part of the joy of our new HOME is the opportunity to test new ideas, create new experiences, and collaborations and break down the boundaries between art forms. We aim to challenge and question with all our work, so it’s fitting that our first major symposium is so in tune with our ambitions.”
Watershed Managing Director Dick Penny says: “We are excited to be working on No Boundaries again, this time alongside new partner HOME, as well as Pilot Theatre and the Bristol Festival of Ideas. We promise provocations and surprises as we debate the role of culture at the beginning of a new parliament.”
Full programme details and more information will be unveiled over the coming months here. Follow New Boundaries on Twitter @nbd2015 and keep your eyes on the conference hashtag #nb2015.
“No Boundaries’ eclecticism and sideways approach was part of its appeal.”
– Lyn Gardner, The Guardian