News – Ireland on tour

A two-year, Euro2m action research programme examining the touring issues facing all artforms has been launched by Irelands Arts Council, in an attempt to establish the most effective way of supporting touring from 2008 onwards. The Touring Experiment will provide funding for a representative cross-section of touring initiatives, through which it will examine the needs of presenters, venues, festivals, artists, producers and audiences.
Mary Cloake, Director of the Arts Council, said, “The costs and logistics of bringing a ‘show on the road’ have militated against a consistent flow of artistic work to and from centres across the country… The Touring Experiment will develop a systematic way of ensuring that at least some of these shows can be seen by people in all corners of Ireland.”