Opportunity: Small Scale Touring Network

Are you an emerging theatre company, producer or artist committed to touring your work nationwide?

Our friends at Paines Plough are working in collaboration with a wider network of established touring and producing companies which MAYK is part of, and which also includes China Plate, English Touring Theatre (ETT), Graeae, Kneehigh, Fuel, Out of Joint, Tiata Fahodzi, Wise Children and Yellow Earth to share knowledge and experience with emerging companies, producers and artists committed to touring, and to then introduce them to Paines Plough’s Small Scale Touring Network (SSTN) across the UK.

Paines Plough set up a Small Scale Touring Network in 2018 – a network of 30+ venues across the UK to which they tour a production every year. In 2018 they toured Anna Jordan’s POP MUSIC, and in 2019 they took Zia Ahmed’s I WANNA BE YOURS on tour cross-country.

This project aims to strengthen and broaden connections between touring companies and small scale venues. It will also form the beginning of a conversation between established and emerging touring companies from which we all hope to learn from you what better support we can provide over the coming months/year.

How it will work:

• STAGE ONE: On Friday 19 June 2pm – 3.30pm Paines Plough and ETT will co-facilitate a zoom session sharing some of the useful discussions they have been having in the NPO touring network and hear from emerging companies. This will form the basis of the discussion the following week.

• STAGE TWO: Wednesday 24 June 3pm – 4.30pm Paines Plough will then invite attendees to join a zoom with representatives from established producing and touring companies including MAYK, where we will facilitate breakout rooms for discussion around more specific topics on the future of touring theatre.

• STAGE THREE: Attendees will then be able to share details, plans and work with Paines Plough’s network of 30+ small-scale venues across the UK.

If this sounds up your street, then please fill out this form.

Please also attach a completed equal opportunities form for the lead artist in your company (if more than one lead artist please submit one form per artist).

If you require any accessible versions of this form then please email office@painespough.com

Deadline for expressions of interest is 10am Monday 15 June.

Paines Plough will be recording the sessions to share internally.