Rural

“Rural touring is hardly a new idea. For centuries musicians, storytellers, acrobats and actors have wandered Europe’s roads in search of paying audiences, bringing news and novelty, thrills and controversy, before moving on (or escaping) to the next village. But the model of rural touring that was developed in Britain from the 1980s onwards was something else because, perhaps for the first time, it gave audiences real power in choosing what novelty, thrills and controversy they wanted. Projects in South Wales, Lincolnshire and other rural districts were established independently, and with slightly different ways of working, but they all set out to link professional performers with nonprofessional promoters. ” (Sarah Peterkin, Rural Touring Handbook)

A rural touring handbook