Stories in the Dust (SITD) is a forward-thinking Southwest company reimagining sustainable touring. Their show of the same name, Stories in the Dust, blends storytelling, song and adventure to spark imagination in children aged 4-12. Following two travellers on a journey through a shifting landscape, the production explores themes of memory, creativity and environmental awareness.

SITD pioneers slow touring models, fostering lasting relationships with local communities through sustainability-focused storytelling and long-term engagement. Developed alongside Professor Ian Williams from the Environmental Science Department at Southampton University, the show integrates environmental themes with storytelling. Young Voices, an audio installation created through workshops, captures young people’s thoughts on climate change and tours alongside the production to spark deeper engagement.

Stories in the Dust was developed in partnership with MAST Mayflower Studios, National Lottery through Arts Council England, Pound Arts and Wiltshire Creative.

Following their 2023–24 tour across London, the Midlands, the North and the South West (including Gosport), SITD expands further into the Solent in 2025. We are supporting SITD to strengthen connections across the Solent’s cultural sector, mentoring its directors, brokering partnerships with education providers and venues for school workshops and performances, and co-ordinating a roundtable event to foster knowledge exchange with Solent artists on slow touring and university collaboration.

This project forms part of Crying Out Loud’s Solent Cultural Collaborations and Creative Development programmes.