National Touring Framework consultations

A series of consultation events around the National Touring Framework

The Australia Council is developing a framework for national touring, and invites artists, producers, presenters and tour coordinators to get involved in the discussion. The framework will identify opportunities, connect key players, and streamline touring to audiences around Australia. Rick Heath and Harley Stumm have been appointed by the Australia Council to develop the framework.

There are two stages to this project:

  1. Map the current landscape of Australia’s Performing Arts touring systems, to help performing artists and companies access clear, current and practical information to find the right touring pathways for you.
  2. Pathways to the future - based on feedback and research, recommendations will be made to support a simpler, and effective national touring framework.

Let's talk

Over the coming eight weeks Rick and Harley will hold consultations around the country to hear your thoughts about
national touring:

  • Warragul, Victoria - 9 November 2011
  • Melbourne, Victoria - 10 November 2011
  • Hobart, Tasmania - 11 November 2011
  • Darwin, Northern Territory - 22 November 2011
  • Adelaide, South Australia - 24 and 25 November 2011
  • Launceston, Tasmania - 30 November 2011
  • Cairns, Queensland - 2 December 2011
  • Brisbane, Queensland - 5 and 6 December 2011
  • Sydney, New South Wales - 7 and 8 December 2011
  • Perth, Western Australia - 12 December 2011
  • Adelaide, South Australia (APAM workshop) - 27 February 2012
  • Albury Wodonga (Long Paddock workshop) - 3 and 4 April 2012 

This is your opportunity to input to the touring landscape in Australia. We plan to meet with different sectors of the industry separately, so we can talk in more detail about each sector’s distinct issues. We want to hear from you, whether you are:

  • an artist, producer, presenter or tour coordinator
  • touring regularly, occasionally, or not at all but would like to
  • touring through mainstream touring networks, niche or specialist touring initiatives, or your own custom designed models.

 

More information and contact

We encourage participants to read the reader before attending a session. To keep informed about complete registration details for times and venues across the country, contact:

 

       Katie Harford
       Program Officer, Market Development
       Phone 02 9215 9041, Email k.harford@australiacouncil.gov.au

 

There will be other opportunities for input throughout the project, but this session will be a key opportunity to present your views and hear others, in person. An online mechanism for you to contribute to the discussion will be available shortly. The Australia Council’s Arts Development division aims to build the reach of arts to audiences. Key staff: Rose Hiscock, Collette Brennan, Tory Loudon and Katie Harford.


Consultants' biographies

Rick Heath

Rick has worked in the performing arts industry across Australia for over 20 years. He is the Director of Push Management Pty Ltd, a strategy, planning and project management consultancy for the arts industry.

Rick’s professional involvement in the theatre industry began as a dresser in 1988. That same year he graduated from the WA Academy of Performing Arts in Stage Management. He has since completed a Bachelor of Business and has worked extensively in both production and administration for many arts companies throughout Australia. Rick has been intimately involved in the development of national touring of the performing arts in Australia through his work as a ‘Blue Heeler’, whilst Touring Consultant at Arts on Tour NSW, as Executive Director of APACA and as a founder member of the Performing Arts Touring Alliance. In recent years he wrote the implementation plan and was facilitator for the $1.6M Future Moves project and drafted the Strategic Framework for the Roadwork touring initiative. Rick works and lives in the Perth hills.

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Harley Stumm

Harley is an independent producer and consultant working in contemporary performing arts, based in Sydney. He was Producer at Performing Line 2005-11, where he managed the Mobile States contemporary performance touring initiative. In that time, he toured artists and companies such as Dancenorth, Splintergroup, Lucy Guerin, Tanja Liedtke, Chamber Made, version 1.0, My Darling Patricia and Branch Nebula, and produced new works commissioned by Sydney and Perth Festivals, and Sydney Opera House.

He was Executive Producer at Sidney Myer Award winning company Urban Theatre Projects 1995-2003, producing more than 20 new works, including large-scale events in public spaces, from residential streets to the Sydney railway network. He has also freelanced for various organisations, including version 1.0, Performance Space, and Legs on the Wall (as Acting General Manager).

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