About Us
A new Creative People and Places project
OUTSIDE is a new Creative People and Places project, funded through Arts Council England. A participatory arts programme, OUTSIDE is led by people in the Staffordshire Moorlands working with professional artists. Together, they are co-curating arts and cultural activities that take place in, and are about life in, the rural and isolated landscape and settlements, villages and market towns of the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Since its launch through Arts Council England in 2012, Creative People and Places projects have empowered communities across the country to take the lead in deciding what creative activities they want and need.
The projects have a wide-ranging, positive impact on individuals and communities in parts of the country where involvement in arts and culture is significantly below the national average. There have been over 10 million engagements with the programme – 86% of which are from groups with low to medium engagement with arts and culture.
From 2022 – 2025, Arts Council England is investing £38.3 million in Creative People and Places through National Lottery funding, so more communities can choose the creativity and culture on offer in their local area.
Arts Council England is committed to supporting Creative People and Places projects in helping ‘everyone, everywhere’ enjoy creativity and culture as part of the Let’s Create strategy.