Abstract Ideas of migration in the twenty-first century are fraught with notions of geography and space, population and pressures on resources. Through this process we have to reflect on what we mean by borders and boundaries and the identities that may be found in crossing over to other areas, borders and countries. Pushing creative boundaries has been an evolutionary practice in the arts, as it advances thinking and practice, and provokes changes in structures of funding and organizations, ultimately enhancing the cultural infrastructure and enriching public life and discourse. In the United Kingdom, the creative industries provide one in every eighteen jobs. The contribution of art, music, drama and design promotes diverse thinking, self-expression, self-determination and the future of the creative industries – future innovation comes from doing things differently, tackling the unfamiliar, taking risks, and for the performing arts this means taking risks in public, sharing new work that is not proven, marketable or even potentially commercially profitable. In order to think freely and experiment, opportunity and creativity are inextricably linked. This article explores boundaries and nomenclatures, as well as ultimately what makes art interesting.