“What is Outdoor Arts?”
Outdoor arts have a unique ability to inspire individuals and bring a sense of shared experience to communities. They use the power of the human imagination to transform familiar places and make the everyday seem remarkable.
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Outdoor Arts Training Guide
ISAN was commissioned by Arts Council England to research and map training and professional development within the outdoor arts sector. Outdoor Arts Training Guide is the result of that commission.







Welcome to ISAN
ISAN is an independent group of producers, presenters, promoters and artists working in outdoor arts from the UK and Ireland. We develop the outdoor arts sector through networking, lobbying, information-sharing, training, research, and advocacy support and advice for our members. We are committed to supporting outdoor arts in all its forms and advocating its benefits and practice.
ISAN Environmental Sustainability Toolkit available now as a FREE Download
The ISAN Environmental Sustainability Toolkit is now live and downloadable for free from the Downloads section of the ISAN website and from Julie’s Bicycle. The Toolkit focuses on practical achievable measures and highlights examples of good practice from case studies covering a range of presentation platforms, generic processes and contexts. It contains good practice guidelines, resource information, a glossary of terms and useful contacts to facilitate the creation of environmentally sustainable outdoor art.
It is designed to help the wider outdoor arts constituency to develop sustainable practice. It is intended to be used by both small and large organisations as a means to support and develop greener and more efficient working practices.
We commissioned Julie’s Bicycle to create the Sustainability Toolkit as a relevant, useable and sector specific guide, designed for outdoor arts. We achieved this through our on going support from Arts Council England. Julie’s Bicycle is the leading not-for-profit company working across the arts and creative industries, providing expertise in environmental sustainability to hundreds of organisations in the UK and internationally.
Keeping it green: Download, and pass the message of the Toolkit on…
ISAN has a new Director
Introduction from Bill Gee
Bill Gee the ISAN Chair is really pleased to announce that Helen Cadwallader has been appointed as the first full-time Director of ISAN and she will start in early January 2012. From 2007 to 2011, Helen was Executive Director of Brighton Photo Biennial, leading on the vision, strategic development, re-branding and re-positioning of the organization. From 2000 to 2006 she was Arts Council England national lead for the strategic development of photography and media, publishing and distribution, advising and developing its Photography and Media strategy, conducting research and managing a range of funds. Prior to this she was the first to manage and further develop the BAA Art Programme, a strategy to commission contemporary art in BAA airports including Heathrow, which operated from 1994 to 1999.
Helen said: “ISAN offers a unique platform to represent and promote the interests of outdoor arts including, companies, organisations and individual practitioners. I am looking forward to building on the significant success and achievements of the organisation, working with the ISAN board and membership network, to lead the organisation into the next exciting phase of its growth. I look forward to meeting and speaking with as many members as possible in my first few months in the role.”
The ISAN Access Toolkit – Download here
Packed with examples of measures which events organisers can take to meet the requirements of Deaf and disabled audience members at outdoor arts festivals and events; including marketing, transport, site layout, the range of access services that can be offered and ideas about programming.
The ISAN Access Toolkit focuses on practical, achievable measures and highlights examples of good practice from case studies of 4 existing festivals. It also contains guidelines on practical issues, (signage, platforms etc.), useful contacts, and will help you to understand your obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act.
The ISAN Access Toolkit – Download free NOW, click here…