An evaluation of Breaking Barriers’ Outdoor Producing Course, Summer 2026
Producers Week is Breaking Barriers’ free, intensive training programme for Rochdale-based, early-career producers aged 18 to 25, delivered from Richard Street Studios in Rochdale. Part of the Inspire Programme and funded through Arts Council England’s Place Partnership funding via Rochdale Creates, the course was designed in direct response to demand from Rochdale’s creative community, specifically a growing appetite to understand what it takes to produce work in outdoor and public spaces.
In 2025, Breaking Barriers delivered Producing Week, a 5 day intensive course that explored the basics of Producing. Following feedback from participants, this ‘Outdoor Producing Course’ is the next development, as we delve more specifically into the world of outdoor producing – what it means to take to the streets or the moors and to deliver exciting outdoor work in unique settings.
The Outdoor Producing Course ran from 27 to 31 July 2026, bringing together ten aspiring creatives from across Rochdale for five days of intensive, hands-on learning. Sessions covered outdoor arts production, event logistics, permissions and licensing, fundraising, budgeting, risk assessment, accessibility, community engagement and setting up as a freelancer. Guest speakers from Walk the Plank, Global Grooves, Tangled Feet and Rochdale Borough Council joined the programme to share their expertise and industry experience giving participants direct access to working professionals across the sector.
The programme was delivered entirely free of charge (thanks to funding from UKSPF and support from Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Borough Council), removing financial barriers to professional development for emerging creatives in the borough.
Who took part
Rochdale Borough is experiencing an exciting period of growth and cultural investment, having recently celebrated a year of Town of Culture, and being identified as a DCMS and Arts Council England Priority Place. As arts and culture flourish in Rochdale, there’s a need for more local Producers to support this transformation. This Outdoor Producers Course aimed to address this by supporting young, early-career producers in Rochdale to develop the skills to contribute to the borough’s vibrant cultural scene – especially when it comes to producing and delivering events in outdoor settings.
The cohort of ten participants came with varying levels of experience; with some participants completely new to the world of producing, some coming from a volunteering background, some studying performing arts at college and some having just completed a university degree. What they all had in common was ambition, curiosity and a desire to build a career in the creative industries. Their stated goals at the start of the week ranged from understanding what a producer actually does, to building the confidence to take the first step into the industry, to finding a clear pathway into festival, outdoor and community arts production.
Outcomes
Pre- and post-course evaluations were completed by participants across a range of confidence and knowledge indicators. The results demonstrate significant, measurable growth across every area assessed.
Across confidence, knowledge and career readiness, every participant showed significant growth over the course of just one week.
Confidence in producing skills increased by 42%. Knowledge and understanding of outdoor producing increased by 79.5%. And self-reported career readiness increased by a full point – a meaningful shift in how prepared participants felt to take their next step.
100% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the course increased their confidence, improved their understanding of producing, helped them build professional connections and made outdoor arts feel more accessible. 90% felt more prepared for employment by the end of the week.
Satisfaction across all areas of the programme was exceptional, with an overall experience score of 4.9 out of 5.
The Legacy
As part of the course, each participant is offered the following opportunities:
- In-kind space in Studio 1 at Richard Street Studios, after the course, to explore an idea
- A 1-to-1 mentoring session with Breaking Barriers’ Executive Producer
- Complimentary tickets to attend outdoor cultural activities
- Networking and masterclasses with other Producers and Participants in the Rochdale Borough
- Opportunity to become an Event Assistants at Afterglow Festival at Chester Zoo, with Global Grooves
- A professional headshot
- A CV and Biography surgery
What participants said
“My experience in producing, from this course alone, has grown a huge amount. It’s opened new ideas and interests and allowed me to learn things I’d never heard about before.”
“Freelance is a lot less scary than I thought and I’m very capable of making connections with people both on the course and with guest speakers.”
“A big thank you to Jodie and Ella who have organised and helped me grow more confidently. Absolute icons.”
Producers Week is one part of Breaking Barriers’ wider creative pathway which is a joined-up approach that offers talent development opportunities at different stages, from volunteering and work experience, to young company roles and paid professional employment.
Several members of this cohort are already pursuing next steps directly connected to the connections and opportunities made during the week, with one participant, Samer Qureshi, joining the Breaking Barriers team in an administrative support role having first volunteered on Stories We Tell: Rochdale and then completing Producers Week.
If you’re interested in understanding more about our Talent Development, please take a look at our Talent Development page.
