WHAT IS SCOTLAND ON TOUR?
Scotland on Tour is a new initiative that will deliver multiple new concerts between 1st January and 31st December 2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Musicians, bands, artists and venues will be able to apply to a £750,000 Scottish Government fund to bring new and additional concerts to venues in Scotland next year. Towns and villages across Scotland will open new venue spaces or programme an increased number of concerts providing opportunities for professional musicians to generate new income. It will provide communities across the nation with world class performances on their doorstep contributing to more sustainable concert delivery without the need for audiences to travel into major cities and it will contribute towards rural economies through the creation of a nation-wide festival.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, Active Events applied to Creative Scotland’s Open Fund and were funded to carry out a research and development project looking into the impact of COVID-19 on touring networks in Scotland.One of the findings was that, due to so many concerts from 2020 and 2021 being postponed, there was very little room for new programming in our traditional venues or concerts halls in 2022.
Following this research, a proposal was developed for a touring fund to which artists, venues and promoters could apply to help create new concerts or additional programming throughout the length and breadth of Scotland.
Active Events were provided with the opportunity to deliver the Scotland on Tour project by Scottish Government. Active Events and the Scotland on Tour initiative are supported by a steering group that has representation from industry including the Scottish Music Industry Association, the Touring Network, Creative Scotland, Enterprise agencies and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.
Jenny Gilruth, the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, said “Our communities must be at the heart of a cultural recovery from the pandemic – the Scotland on Tour fund is a vital part of driving that work, supporting culture on the doorsteps of the people of Scotland”.
