From radical roots in the Sixties, outdoor arts have grown to become an essential part of nation-defining celebrations. At the forefront of the sector is Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, which has been lighting up lives and filling historic squares, town centres and unused spaces with spectacular large and small scale productions for 30 years. Founder Bradley Hemmings has followed his vision to raise the ambition, quality and diversity of work produced in the UK while also welcoming the best international companies. Above and Beyond tells the story in words and pictures of why GDIF is Londons leading outdoor free arts festival.
After a lifetime of editing, Fiona Hughes is a freelance writer and occasional producer. She has always remained true to her love of culture, from early days at the Cannes Film Festival for Screen International to joining the Arts team at the Daily Telegraph, becoming long-serving Arts Editor of the Evening Standard or writing about books and radio for Radio Times, as she does today. The pleasure of her 20-year role as producer of the Evening Standard Theatre Awards has been all the theatre she has seen and what she learnt from Anna Wintour about the power of the red carpet. A resident of Greenwich for many years, she discovered the joy of outdoor theatre from Greenwich+Docklands International Festival and became a trustee in 2017, before being appointed Chair in 2025.
