Activate Performing Arts

‘Nature Calling is such a significant project.  We have really enjoyed devising it with our colleagues at the National Landscapes Association, working with all the hub locations and Poetry School, as well as the inspiring producing organisations that are partnering the National Landscapes in each area.' 

We believe that extraordinary moments connect and uplift us all. We exist to promote, support, and produce performing arts projects in our communities, bringing world-class events to unexpected places; and we’ve been doing it for over 30 years.

Our aim is to break down barriers and reach the widest possible audiences, while celebrating our natural landscape and sense of place. In everything we do there are just two rules: anything is possible, and everyone is invited.  

Our Inside Out Dorset festival presents extraordinary events in extraordinary locations. It is free to attend and takes place outdoors site-responsively with a community engagement programme that takes place year-round. Each festival includes international outdoor events across Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, in rural, coastal and urban locations.  

We tour and produce work by companies locally and nationally.  We are a partner in several European programmes, and we produce large scale ‘signature events’.

We specialise in working in protected landscapes and are grateful to Dorset National Landscape for their support, expertise and partnership over the last 17 years.  Just over 6 years ago we worked with the National Landscapes Association to create their first national Arts Strategy, Art in the Landscape, Connecting People to Nature and from there to conceive the Nature Calling project. 

We are national Executive Creative Producers on the Nature Calling project, working closely with the Arts Development Officer.

We have worked with these partners across the country to select a really diverse range of extraordinary writers, musicians and artists.  We are thrilled with their ideas for Nature Calling and look forward to working with them and the communities in all the locations.’  

Kate Wood and Bill Gee, Activate