The programme runs from Friday 2nd August till late on Sunday 4th August and includes:
- International shows from Belgium, Estonia, Balearic Islands, Netherlands, Catalonia, USA, Italy, Ireland and France
- UK shows including new work from NoFit State, Mark Anderson, Ben Faulks, Gorilla Circus, Chad Taylor and many others
- Opening and Closing shows from Mécanique Vivante (France) and new commission from Fidget Feet (Ireland) with Sound de Seca and collaborators
As well as enjoying the festival, professionals are invited to join us for a networking event and panel discussion exploring “Placemaking and Outdoor Arts”, hosted by SIRF, OutdoorArtsUK, XTRAX and Without Walls. The event will take place on Saturday 3rd August, 10.00 – 12.30, at ARC Stockton.
We are delighted to confirm the panellists for the discussion on Placemaking and Outdoor Arts at SIRF.
Jordi Duran Roldós (Catalonia/Spain)
Jordi Duran Roldós is a cultural manager, an educator, and a practitioner. He is currently part of the Artistic Direction team of the MAC Festival in Barcelona (Mercè Arts de Carrer), one of the largest street arts festival in Europe. Prior to this, he founded and directed Festival Z, which specialises in supporting emerging artists. Jordi Duran was the Artistic Director of FiraTàrrega, the major Catalan artist development and showcasing festival, between 2011 and 2018. As an academic, Jordi Duran has a focus on diversity, inclusion, and education, as well as Catalan and Hispanic Philology. He has a Doctorate in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona and Degrees from numerous universities. Jordi Duran also studied Theatre Direction and Dramaturgy at the Insitute of Theatre in Barcelona and has developed and taught Street Arts courses at degree level. As a stage director and playwright, he has collaborated with various creators, most notably with Marga Socias, whose work O.R.E.L.L.E.S. won the Moritz Award for best street theatre premiere in FiraTàrrega 2023.
Kully Thiarai (UK)
Kully Thiarai is an experienced Theatre maker and Arts Executive with extensive experience of commissioning, producing, and directing work nationally and internationally. She has created a diverse range of work that spans communities, cultures and performance styles; made large scale epics, new plays and created work for non-theatres spaces. Kully was most recently Creative Director and CEO of LEEDS 2023 – delivering over 1700 events as part of a £24m international year of culture for the city of Leeds. Prior to that Kully was Artistic Director and Chief Executive of National Theatre Wales. Her 30-year career also includes being the founding Director of Cast, opening the £22 million performance venue in Doncaster as the cultural living room for the town, creating the artistic vision for Contact Theatre Manchester centring young people at its core, being the Artistic Director of Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Theatre Writing Partnership and Red Ladder Theatre Company. Kully is currently Chair of new writing company Paines Plough and Co-Chair of Slung Low, a trustee of The Art Foundation and an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Juliet Hardy
Juliet Hardy is the Creative Programmes Manager at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council including the artistic direction of Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF). She is also responsible for the vision and delivery of the Council’s large scale annual Arts and Outdoor Events programme for an ambitious autumn and winter programme. Prior to joining the Council in 2017, Juliet was the Creative Producer for Museums Northumberland ‘bait’ for 14 years, which is one of the first Creative People and Places programmes funded by Arts Council England. As an artist, facilitator and creative producer, Juliet has undertaken work of great ambition at organisations such as Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Baltic, Northern School of Art, The Glasshouse Gateshead, Legacy Trust Cultural Olympiad programme. Alongside her role at SIRF and the Council, Juliet is a practicing musician and visual artist.
CHAIR – Sho Shibata
Sho Shibata began working as Director of OutdoorArtsUK in February 2024. He was previously the Executive Producer of Stopgap Dance, where he worked for 16 years to develop the company into a world-leader in breaking down barriers for Deaf and Disabled dancers, audiences and producers. Sho is also on the board of Play to The Crowd – the umbrella organisation for Winchester Hat Fair and a member of the Area Council for Arts Council England, South East.
Professional registration is now closed.
We are no longer able to take online registrations for SIRF. If you would like to attend the panel discussion, please come to ARC on Saturday morning and visit the registration desk on the first floor.
Find out more about the programme here.
Travelling to the UK and Stockton-on-Tees
By Train
The nearest train station to get to the ARC and Festival events is Thornaby.
Stockton On Tees (Thornaby Station) is 2h 30min by train from Edinburgh if you are visiting for Edinburgh Festival, and 3 hours by train from London Kings Cross and connections to Eurostar. There are direct trains to Thornaby from Manchester Airport (2h 43min) https://www.thetrainline.com
By Air
The nearest airport is Teesside International Airport in Durham, with flights connecting to Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. The airport is only a 10-minutes train ride away from Stockton-on-Tees city centre.
Manchester airport is also well connected to Stockton-on-Tees, with frequent direct trains running from the airport to Thornaby station in just under 3h.
Newcastle Airport is 1.5 hours from Thornaby or Middlesbrough stations by train.
If you would like further advice on travelling to Stockton-on-Tees, please do not hesitate to contact info@xtrax.org.uk or go to www.rome2rio.com for advice on your itinerary.
Accommodation
Premier Inn hotels at Stockton on Tees (Preston Farm), Stockton on Tees (Teeside) and Middlesbrough Town Centre are all within easy travel distance of the festival sites.
Hampton by Hilton in Stockton Town Centre may have some availability, though slightly more expensive.
