A new Creative New Zealand initiative aims to help more New Zealand arts companies to tour Australia.
Touring Australia is a Creative New Zealand pilot scheme to support high-quality, distinctive local theatre, dance and multi-disciplinary work to tour throughout Australia.The $748,000 pilot will run for four years.
“Few New Zealand performing arts companies are currently able to tap into the potential offered by the extensive Australian performing arts touring market,” says Cath Cardiff, Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager, Arts Policy, Capability and International.
“Creative New Zealand’s Touring Australia initiative will help New Zealand arts companies to build a stronger presence in Australia. This will enhance our regular presence at the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM), increasing opportunities for our artists," Ms Cardiff says.
Creative New Zealand has engaged high-profile Australian performing arts consultants, Arts Projects Australia (APA) to promote New Zealand works in the Australian market and manage the tours within Australia.
Over the 15 years since its establishment, APA has produced more than 115 tours of distinctive and varied performing arts works throughout Australia and New Zealand using an extensive network of festivals and cultural centres.
Creative New Zealand’s Touring Australia initiative will also help to build Australian touring networks by supporting selected New Zealand performing arts venues to further develop their relationships with Australian presenters.
As part of this, Creative New Zealand supported representatives from Auckland’s The Edge, The Mangere Arts Centre and members of Creative New Zealand’s regional arts touring consortia to attend the annual Australian Performing Arts Centres Association (APACA) conference and Blue Heeler Long Paddock national touring forum in Darwin in August. These events bring together producers and presenters to generate performing arts seasons and tours within Australia.