Touring Circuits and Programming


Where to go…
For tour development, or
To find shows to program

Across Western Australia, there is a diverse range of needs, capacity to present works, audience demographics, regional access and programming ability.

It can often be difficult to know where to go to find a quality show or a particular type of show e.g., music.  Below is information about current markets, but the key thing is to network and partner with other presenters in WA.  It is expensive to move a production around WA and from interstate so if multiple presenters are interested in the production it becomes much more viable.


WA Showcase

WA Showcase offers opportunity for presenters and producers from around the State to the see and hear about the excellent work being made in Western Australia.  Held annually, it brings together a network of all the key producers, tour coordinators and presenters across Western Australia.


The CircuitWest Tour / Professionally Managed Venue Tour

CircuitWest delivers tours to professionally managed venues throughout Western Australia. Touring to the CircuitWest membership network, CircuitWest is able to successfully tour performances requiring a greater level of technical support.

This strong working relationship with CircuitWest venues ensures regional communities are serviced through both state and national touring strategies.

If you are interested in touring a production or having a production showcased for touring, please go to Book A Show on our website.


CircuitWest "Shows on the Go" program

“Shows on the Go” is a community-driven touring model wherein regional Western Australians vote for the productions they would most like to see performed in their town.

This is done annually through the Shows on the Go Touring Menu. Shows are then short-listed for selection by the communities in the regions, with the successful shows to tour the following year.

 


APAX (Australian Performing Arts Exchange)

The Australian Performing Arts Exchange (APAX) has evolved from an arts market and a conference into a single national gathering of more than 400 performing arts workers to develop tours and cultivate the partnerships that support the ongoing creation and presentation of Australian performing arts.


Other Performing Art Markets

There are other many other gathering, networking opportunities with a focus on getting productions touring that you may want to consider.  Each has its own focus whether genre based or geographical based

  • Dance Massive
  • Showcase Victoria
  • Showcase South Australia

Direct relationship with Producers / Companies

Getting on the phone / email and making contact with a company and starting the discussion to come to your venue is a first step to get see if a particular show will tour. There may be opportunities then to source funding through different means (from Playing Australia, Sponsorship, philanthropic) to support the tour or covered 100% by the presenter. 


Playing Australia Funded Tours

The Regional Performing Arts Touring program (Playing Australia) supports performing arts to reach regional and remote communities across Australia. Playing Australia Multi-Year Investment is offered to support the net touring and other designated costs associated with three years of touring activity (2023 – 2025).

Organisations may apply for up to $350,000 per annum for three years.

For More Information: https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/playing-australia-multi-year-investment/


Tour coordinator

There are a many not for profit tour coordinators across Australia who are funded to put tours together these tour coordinators liaise with the producers and presenters to develop and deliver tours:

Arts on Tour

Critical Stages

Performing Lines

Arts NT

Regional Arts Victoria

Country Arts South Australia

There are also commercial based tours developers.


Where to Start

A number of options are available for touring with new funding in the market, so whether it’s the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program, or a group of presenters buying in your work, WA Showcase is the key place to start your conversations along with CircuitWest.

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