XTRAX is partnering with Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) to deliver a showcase and professional networking events alongside the free outdoor festival.
The programme starts on the afternoon of Friday 1 August and runs until late on Sunday 3 August 2025.
It includes over 35 street arts, circus, dance, music, installations and interactive projects from UK and international artists including
- 7 new commissions from Without Walls
- Projects from France, Catalonia, South Korea, Belgium, and UK
- Large scale opening and closing show
View the XTRAX Shorts and Panel Discussion PDF Brochures Online.
The Professional programme is organised in association with OutdoorArtsUK and Without Walls and includes
- Pitch sessions about new works in development
- Networking meetings and panel discussions
- more to be confirmed
Posted on 30.07.25: You are still welcome to register for SIRF. Please note that as this will be a late registration, we cannot guarantee that we will have a name badge ready for you. Your name will not appear on the the delegate list we have prepared but will be added to the delegate list shared after the event.
Register as a professional for SIRF 2025
Find out more about the programme here.
Programme updates
You can now see the programme for SIRF online here.
Schedule of Professional Events
Who is coming?
See a list of delegates registered so far.
Panel Discussion: 2025
International collaboration in outdoor arts projects – trends and challenges
Saturday 2 August 2025: 10.00 – 12.00
OutdoorArtsUK in association with XTRAX present a panel discussion about international collaboration in outdoor arts.
The world of outdoor arts has always been a very international one, with international touring and exchange shaping the development of the sector in the UK and overseas. With declining funds and rising costs it is increasingly difficult for artists and festivals to create and present new work at home and internationally – and the impact of Brexit has had a dramatic impact on opportunities for UK and European collaborations and touring. Do we need international collaborations to create ambitious work, and is this still possible in the light of all these challenges? And how can international collaborations be developed in an environmentally responsive way?
Samantha Nurse, Associate Director of OutdoorArtsUK, will chair a panel of experienced international speakers who will share their insights on building strong partnerships and highlight the challenges and successes of their international work.
Speakers:
Lucy Bennett, Co-Artistic Director, Stopgap Dance Company, UK
Nadenh Poan, Senior Dance Artist & Choreographer, Stopgap Dance Company, UK
Telma Luis, Programming Manager Imaginarius Festival, Portugal
Drew James, International Curator World Buskers Fair, New Zealand
XTRAX Shorts
A platform for artists to share information about new work or projects in development.
Sunday 3 August 2025: 10.00 – 12.00
Without Walls in association with XTRAX present XTRAX Shorts.
Hosted by Fatina Cummings, the dynamic creator of Just More Productions, a selection of artists will make short presentations about their work, with opportunities for networking before and afterwards. Artists include
- Tilly Ingram, The Hide
- Jeanefer Jean Charles, Patois
- Walk the Plank: Body
- Shyam Dattani: Garbh
- Murmuration Arts: Dancefloor Activist
- From Hong Kong: TS Crew, Prototyping & Other Works in development
From South Korea Project Dari : presentation of 3 outdoor works from South Korea: Elephants Laugh, A PERSON’S, Liquid Sound
International Presenters
We are delighted to be able to offer international presenters a hotel room for the nights of 1 – 3 August 2025 inclusive. To request a room please email Maggie Clarke maggie@xtrax.org.uk
Edinburgh Festival runs from 1 – 25 August 2025. Why not attend SIRF before traveling to Edinburgh which is 2h.40minutes by train from Stockton (Thornaby station).
Photo Credit: @JordiCalvetCompany Manola Alcantara Show Mana
Travelling to the UK and Stockton-on-Tees
By Train
The nearest train station to get to the ARC and Festival events is Thornaby, or you can go to Stockton Station.
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) and Stockton on Tees (Teeside) are now very booked up. Many of the XTRAX delegates will be staying at Premier Inn in Middlesbrough Town Centre which is a short taxi ride or a 5 minute train journey from Thornaby Station.
Hampton by Hilton in Stockton Town Centre is fully booked, though you can check for cancellations.
Photo Credit: Múcab Dans, Correllums, MAR
