Southpaw Company, based at Sheepfolds Stables in Sunderland, has been named as a Blueprint artist for 2026 by Without Walls, which awards funding for artists to ‘take risks, push boundaries, develop ideas and expand the possibilities of what outdoor arts can be’.
Southpaw has garnered a national reputation for its largescale outdoor community performances blending choreography, music and visual storytelling. Its first production with Without Walls, Faust in 2010, toured nationally for five years with more than 100 performances, followed by outdoor works, Carousel in 2015 and Icarus in 2018.
The new funding will go towards developing Tommy & Teresa in collaboration with West Yorkshire-based Spin Arts, whose long-standing co-creative work with Gypsy and Traveller communities has helped shape the project’s approach from its earliest stages.
The production will follow two young people growing up in neighbouring but distinct communities – a council estate and a Traveller site. Using the familiar framework of Romeo and Juliet, it will explore social divides and the pressures faced by young people navigating family conflict and cultural expectations.
The work is expected to tour across the UK during 2027 and 2028 and will blend Southpaw’s high-energy dance theatre language, Spin Arts’ socially engaged producing practice and the lyrical storytelling of Gypsy rapper, Big Deli.
Robby Graham, Artistic Director of Southpaw, said:
“We’re extremely grateful to Without Walls who give innovative companies like ours the research and development time to create productions which push boundaries and challenge perceptions.
“We’ll be co-creating the work with Gypsy and Traveller communities and building on long-standing relationships to ensure the work is rooted in lived experience and cultural integrity. We’re incredibly excited to see how Tommy & Teresadevelops.”
Ralph Kennedy, Chief Executive of Without Walls, said:
“Artistic innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum, so Without Walls is committed to giving artists the time and space to take creative risks and test new ideas.
“Blueprint 2026 includes projects by established artists with a track record in making work for public space and rising talent stepping into the outdoor for the first time. We are proud to offer this support where diverse creators can dare to dream bigger and push the boundaries of their craft.”
Sarah Shead, Director and Creative Producer of Bradford-based Spin Arts, said:
“For many years, Spin Arts has worked alongside Gypsy and Traveller communities to ensure their stories are represented with authenticity and integrity. Tommy & Teresa builds on those relationships, creating a contemporary retelling of a timeless story rooted in lived experience rather than assumption. We’re excited to be collaborating with Southpaw and Big Deli to create a bold new outdoor work that celebrates culture, challenges prejudice and invites audiences to see beyond stereotypes.”
Big Deli added:
“Tommy & Teresa is a story of love, power and change. I hope to create a piece of work that is entertaining, emotionally engaging and encourages audiences to think differently about the communities and people featured in the story.”
