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Chances are that if an Arts Council of England officer was asked to list types of organisations delivering the arts they would overlook rural touring schemes, says Kate Lawrance.
A countrywide network of rural touring schemes is beavering away in the background, enterprisingly achieving so many of the goals set by arts funders, uniquely delivering professional arts events to new audiences. Yet, their praises remain unsung, their coffers are sparsely lined and they fail to make the arts headlines!

Arts in Cambs on Tour [act] is a relatively new scheme for Cambridgeshire, which has been up and running for about two years. Like other similar schemes we draw up a programme of professional arts events, attach generous subsidy, then work with voluntary promoting groups in the rural areas of the county to make them happen.

So, you might be saying, other companies sometimes do work in rural areas. Well, yes, but not many really get right out in the sticks and bring the same level of specialism and expertise. Britain?s long history of travelling players is preserved through bringing professional theatre, music and dance to village halls and community centres which are non-designated arts spaces. What happens when you do this is that the local people are so delighted to have something taking place in their village, that they come along whether they are ?arty? sorts or not. One of my local promoters recently wrote, ?We had in our audience a few people who would never have seen a ?theatre? performance if it hadn?t been brought to them.?

What?s more, we don?t arrogantly attempt to graft our own choice of performance on to the village scene. Local people are involved from the outset. The local promoting groups make their own choices from a very diverse menu of events. They operate the box office, promote the show, put up the posters, host the company and run the evening. They are in control and get the kudos. Their monetary risks are minimal, although they do benefit when it?s a financial success and they do get training sessions to help them out, together with ongoing support. Thereby we develop the confidence, skills and judgement of local people at the same time as putting on good quality performances. As an added bonus, rural schemes cleverly utilise the marketing clout that influential people in the village can offer.

But what about the quality of the product? Principally through ignorance, rural touring has often been under-regarded in this respect. Yet, small scale and flexible can often mean new, fresh and free from the cumber of a formal theatre space. We have adopted as a slogan Peter Brook?s well founded ethic, ?take any empty space?. Last year?s programme included Motionhouse Dance and Robin Jones Latin Jazz. Next year?s is likely to feature Mugenkyo Japanese drumming, Union Dance, Cartoon de Salvo and many more companies of national and international repute.

And there?s something very special about the intimacy of a successful performance in a small village venue. The opportunities to break down the fourth wall are built in and the immediacy of the experience reaches even the most arts shy audience members. When I walk out of a village hall, with the evening?s audience buzzing with excitement and the thrill of having such a special event in their own village space, I know that what I am doing is thoroughly worthwhile and I feel very warm inside.

Kate Lawrance is Artistic Director of Arts in Cambs on Tour t: 01223 566205, e: katelawrance@act.waitrose.comI