Every performance you see at SO Festival has a journey of its own.
Before a show reaches Lincolnshire’s streets, parks or public spaces, our team has often travelled hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles to discover it. Over the past four months we’ve crossed the UK and Europe, visiting festivals, meeting artists, exploring new ideas and building relationships that help shape future SO Festival programmes.
These trips are known as Go Sees, and they’re one of the most important ways we keep SO Festival fresh, ambitious and connected to the wider world of outdoor arts.
What Is a Go See?
A Go See is exactly what it sounds like: a chance to go and see what’s happening beyond our own doorstep.
We visit festivals and cultural events across the UK and overseas to experience performances first-hand, meet artists and producers, and discover work that could inspire, influence or even become part of a future SO Festival programme. It’s our opportunity to explore new creative ideas, spot emerging talent and understand what’s capturing audiences in different places and communities.
Go Sees aren’t just about what’s happening on stage
They’re also about the conversations that happen behind the scenes. By meeting festival organisers, creatives and cultural organisations, we build partnerships that can lead to future collaborations, artist bookings and new opportunities for Lincolnshire. We exchange ideas, share experiences and learn from the challenges and successes of other events.
Just as importantly, Go Sees help us improve SO Festival itself. Observing how other festivals approach audience engagement, accessibility, participation and event planning gives us valuable insights that we can bring home and put into practice.
We also regularly take along Lincolnshire-based organisations and creatives to help them develop their understanding, offer and creative practice.
Over the last few months, our team has travelled from England to Spain and Poland, discovering everything from intimate theatre and contemporary circus to large-scale spectacles that transform entire town and city centres. Each visit has provided fresh inspiration, new connections and exciting possibilities for the future of SO Festival.
La Mercè Festival, Barcelona, Spain
Community Producer Hannah travelled to Barcelona to attend La Mercè, one of Europe’s largest urban festivals, which transforms the city into a vibrant celebration of street theatre, circus, music and large-scale outdoor spectacle.
Experiencing performances across parks, public squares and city streets offered valuable insight into how different spaces can be adapted to create unique audience experiences. The festival demonstrated how culture can be woven into everyday environments, making arts activity accessible and engaging for a wide range of people.
FETA Festival, Gdansk, Poland
Our international visit to FETA Festival opened doors not only for SO Festival but for the wider cultural sector across Lincolnshire.
James (Director), Kieran (Creative Producer) and Aidy (Executive Director, Blackfriars Theatre) made the trip, and it sparked the beginning of a new relationship with the festival’s cultural team, creating opportunities to exchange ideas and explore future collaboration, particularly around engaging young audiences and supporting participation in arts and culture.
One of the most exciting outcomes came from a connection made during the visit. Adey from Blackfriars Arts Centre discovered the production Three Sisters and subsequently programmed it for Blackfriars’ International Festival. It’s a perfect example of how Go Sees can create lasting benefits beyond SO Festival, helping connect Lincolnshire audiences and venues with international artists and work they might not otherwise experience.
Freedom Festival, Hull, England
Hannah attended Freedom Festival with Sarah from HandMA Creations, a member of SO Festival’s current Outdoor Arts Development Scheme cohort. The visit gave Sarah the opportunity to experience a major outdoor arts festival alongside an experienced industry professional, exploring performances and gaining insight into how large-scale festivals operate.
For Sarah, the Go See provided valuable professional development, building confidence, expanding industry knowledge and creating new networking opportunities. Supporting artists through experiences like this helps develop creative talent in Lincolnshire, opening doors to future collaborations and strengthening the region’s cultural sector.
WOW! Fest, Walsall
Community Producer Hannah and Assistant Producer Anita visited WOW! Fest in Walsall, a community-focused outdoor arts festival that combines professional performances with workshops, participatory activities and opportunities for audiences to get involved.
The festival offered valuable inspiration around audience engagement and participation, demonstrating how creative activities can be woven throughout an event to encourage people to take part rather than simply observe. Its clear focus on community involvement also highlighted how a strong festival identity can help build meaningful connections with local audiences.
Stockton International Riverside Festival, England
SO Festival’s first visit to Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) provided an opportunity to experience one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts events while exploring performances across the town and attending the XTRAX professional programme.
Alongside discovering potential programming opportunities, the team met artists, producers, festival organisers and international delegates, creating valuable new connections. The visit generated ideas for the Lincolnshire International Consortium, international partnerships, audience engagement and the creative use of public spaces, while offering practical insights into festival planning and delivery.
Derby Festé, Derby, England
Assistant Producer Anita travelled to Derby Festé, a city-wide outdoor arts festival that transforms public spaces through theatre, dance, circus and walkabout performances, attracting audiences from across the city.
The visit provided opportunities to discover new artists and observe how audiences engage with different types of work. It also offered inspiration and practical learning around festival operations, audience experience and the effective use of public space, helping inform future SO Festival programming and event delivery.
Why Go Sees Matter
Go Sees help us discover new ideas, support local artists, build national and international connections, and learn from some of the most innovative festivals working today. Every visit brings fresh perspectives that help us strengthen SO Festival, creating better experiences for audiences, new opportunities for creatives and lasting benefits for Lincolnshire’s cultural sector.
Because every great festival starts by looking beyond its own horizon. And sometimes, the journey to bring something extraordinary to Lincolnshire begins in places as far apart as Barcelona, Gdansk, Hull or Walsall.
