People from arts organisations from across the UK to gather in Newbury to champion rural and small-scale touring

PEOPLE from arts organisations from across the UK will gather in Newbury in June to champion rural and small-scale touring.

The National Rural Touring Forum’s flagship annual conference has been running for almost three decades – advocating the importance of community-led programming and touring.

Tickets are now on sale for the event which takes place at Donnington Grove Hotel and 101 Outdoor Arts Creation Space at Greenham Park between June 24 and June 26.

Rural and small-scale touring is about bringing enriching cultural experiences to communities off-the-beaten-track. Taking theatre, music, dance and comedy to places on ‘B-road Britain’.

The conference brings together the rural touring community – artists, promoters, funders and industry professionals to exchange ideas, learn and connect.

It provides a vibrant platform for collaboration, learning and advocacy.

As immersive work is emerging in rural touring, this year’s three-day conference aims to explore innovative ways to engage audiences while celebrating cultural diversity and inclusion.

It will showcase diverse work, artists and include discussions on themes of environmentalism, devolution and future of tech and innovation.

NRTF heavily subsidises tickets, making it as accessible as possible.

More than 20 bursary places are available for touring schemes, promoters and artists. These all include accommodation, meals and access to the event each day.

Tickets and information at https:// nrtf.org.uk/nrtf-conference-2025/

The event is open to all, including anyone looking for a culturally immersive mini-break.

As well as discussing culture, delegates will also get to experience artists and cultural performances up-close.

National Rural Touring Forum director Holly Lombardo, from Hampstead Norreys, said: “This event has been crucial to the rural touring community for 29 years.

“We gather to share ideas, discuss opportunities, challenges and best practice as well as experiencing latest productions and performances from artists.

“These are challenging times for rural touring – with budget pressures and an industry still recovering from the pandemic.

“But there is a unity and strength in numbers in this vibrant sector which offers a cultural lifeline to places off-the-beaten track.

“This year we will be looking at how to advocate for the important work we all do and gain greater visibility for this vital sector.”

More than 300,000 people attend rural shows each year – in a sector that generates more than £1m in ticket sales.

Rural touring is an innovative and vibrant network of thousands of professional shows coming to spaces near you. To find out where your nearest venue is check out the NRTF website https://nrtf.org.uk and find your local scheme.

National Rural Touring Forum networks, develops and supports the ecosystem that delivers high-quality creative experiences across communities and rural areas in the UK. The aim of the NRTF is to strengthen and support rural populations to bring professional work to their venues.