We are delighted to welcome No Boundaries, the arts and culture industry's annual conference, back to Watershed in September, and to be working with partner venue HOME in Manchester.

Vasif Korton, of Salt, Istanbul; Basma El Husseiny, of Action for Hope, Cairo; Natalia Kaliada, of the Belarus Free Theatre; Alice Webb, of BBC Children’s; Sam Colt, Odgers Berndtson; Mary Lou Aleskie, International Festival of Ideas; David Sproxton, Executive Chairman Aardman Animations; Jo Verrent, Unlimited and writer and political commentator Nick Cohen, amongst first contributors to be announced for the second No Boundaries, offering a truly global perspective on the questions and ideas on the role of arts and culture at the industry’s annual conference.

The conference will take place 29-30 Sept, and is part of Arts Council England’s State Of The Arts thought leadership programme. It 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.

This year’s conference will follow last year’s innovative format, which live-linked two venues as one. In September, HOME and Watershed 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.

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.”

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 Bristol Festival of Ideas. We promise provocations and surprises as we debate the role of culture at the beginning of a new parliament.”

In addition to the main contributions, No Boundaries will also present cutting edge entertainment with The Money, an “urgent, playful” (The Guardian) piece of game theatre from Exeter-based Kaleider, for the first time running simultaneously in Bristol and Manchester. Delegate passes are available now from nb2015.org

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