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Northern Rural Touring Consortium

Cheshire Rural Touring is part of the Northern Rural Touring Consortium. The Northern Rural Touring Consortium is an unconstituted strategic alliance between Spot On Lancashire, Cheshire Rural Touring Arts, Kirkgate Arts/Arts Out West (West Cumbria), Blaize’s Rural Scheme Artery (East Yorkshire) and Live Lincs (North Lincolnshire), Highlights (Cumbria, County Durham, Northumberland), Rural Arts (North Yorkshire), and Arts Alive (Shropshire), that has contributed hugely to the UK touring sector since 1999. Punching above their weight, the Northern Consortium has collaborated on creative, ambitious programming, co-commissioning, and touring projects building sector resilience across the North. They have delivered over 50 joint region/international projects securing £1m in funding to support 52 external artists, companies, and partners.

The consortium’s most recent project HANDS (Helping Artists Needs Develop Sustainably) has offered mentoring, commissions, connections, training, residencies, showcasing opportunities and more to diverse artists representative of contemporary society.

With plans to strategically collaborate more over the coming year, we aim to support sector development and to strengthen touring opportunities in the North of England.