A ‘big hug’ in isolated places

As the anniversary of the first lockdown has come and gone, rural touring schemes, artists and volunteer promoters have found ways to continue entertaining outside of their usual venues of village halls, pubs, libraries, and community centres. More than 2000 shows have been cancelled due to Covid-19, but the rural touring sector has used its in-depth knowledge of its audiences and artists to pivot, commissioning professional content not just for the digital space, but for those who aren’t able to get online. 

Strengthen and support

The National Rural Touring Forum (NRTF), the umbrella organisation for the UK’s rural touring sector with over 500 members, has been supporting rural arts organisations, artists, and communities to tour productions to their local venues. NRTF is all about levelling out opportunities to access and participate in creative cultural experiences. For instance, in a black box or large theatre, artists invite audiences to see their show whereas in rural touring, it is the community who welcomes the artist to perform for them. There is a magic to it, and it is a very personal experience for the artists and the residents. 

In 2020, NRTF diverted a proportion of its Arts Council England (ACE) funding to help artists, schemes, and promoters. We produced one of the biggest and most ambitious digital conferences in the performing arts sector in October 2020. I was immensely proud to be part of an organisation that supports such a resilient, caring and innovative sector continuing to bring work to communities.

NRTF Covid grants and communications support went to rural arts development agencies, programming hubs and their local commissions. They produced everything from radio concerts, video shorts and online theatre to artists’ partnerships with community groups and the distribution of equipment and wellbeing packs. Theatre was performed on the back of lorries, by phone and by postcard. We built a symphony in the countryside, digital diaries, drive-in events and so much more. Village touring across the country was never more innovative or creative than it was in 2020.

Small and specific

Rural touring schemes and artists have been quietly producing programmes, trying not to shout about it as attracting large audiences was not the purpose of the activity. Everything has been delivered to individual villages so social distancing could be maintained. Some shows were put on for 30 minutes on one village green before being moved on to the neighbouring parish. The work has been small and specific, ensuring audiences retain their access to high-quality cultural provision and all the community health and wellbeing benefits that go along with it.

Rural touring brings professional work to people who otherwise would not have access to it. This can reduce the effects of isolation and develop community cohesion while strengthening local capacity to organise. Bringing diverse and challenging arts activity to these areas has been integral in catalysing community life in the countryside as other village ‘anchors’ like shops and pubs have declined. A South Coast promoter described Artsreach, a rural touring scheme in Dorset, as feeling like “a big hug during the pandemic”.

Starting up again

We are very aware there will be substantial increases in costs for touring when we start up again – we have calculated a conservative estimated deficit of over £1m per season. This is a significant amount to the rural touring sector but compared to large scale touring, it’s a drop in the ocean. NRTF members understand how vital their role is for local village residents, particularly in terms of wellbeing. ACE, Creative Scotland and Arts Council Wales are incredibly supportive of our sector, and ACE’s Let’s Create strategy resonates completely with rural arts and touring’s place-based, community-led mode of operation. 

Many schemes have received support from the Culture Recovery Fund; it’s been such a lifeline that we are yet to see the real impact of Covid-19 on the rural arts and touring sector. Despite it being resilient and fleet of foot, if additional subsidy is not found we will almost certainly see artists who can no longer tour, venues who cannot afford work, schemes unable to effectively programme, and communities without access to culture.

Holly Lombardo is Director of the National Rural Touring Forum.
 www.ruraltouring.org