Applause has opened for applications their Autumn 22 – Spring 23 season touring programme.
Their Autumn – Spring season mainly programmes to village halls and community centres across Kent and Sussex. They work with brilliant performing companies and a network of local volunteer promoters to offer the very best of touring theatre, music, storytelling, puppetry and children’s shows, giving audiences direct access to live performance on their rural doorstep.
Want to take part?
If you are a company / artist with a ready-made show that is technically adaptable and ideally self-contained. If you’re able to be flexible and work in a wide variety of spaces then take a look at the requirements in the link below and then submit your application.
For 2022 they are also looking for seasonal outdoor shows that can bring some festive flair to local events.
Applause programme a range of exciting and inspiring shows including adaptations of classic drama, delightful puppetry for families, humorous storytelling, new writing, imaginative adaptations of much loved children’s books, contemporary dance and a range of music for all tastes from classical, folk and jazz to Latin rumbas, Cajun and country. The emphasis is on quality, because the promoters and venues work hard to make these performances happen, so they deserve it.
If you’re interested in rural touring and can meet the requirements Applause would love to hear from you.
Applause has commissioned fifteen performing companies to tour fetes, festivals and outdoor events across Kent, Sussex and the wider region for summer 2022. With new commissions, as well as a selection of some of the best ready-made outdoor touring shows, the new offerings include puppetry, dance, circus, interactive poetry, music and walkabout shows. These shows are engaging and highly entertaining for all ages – perfect for getting the community creative outdoors.
Applause is pleased to announce that our 2022 Outdoor season commission programme is now open.
If you are a company / artist with an established interest and track record of working outdoors and interactively this could be the opportunity for you.
Applause Rural Touring works with artists and communities to bring exceptional arts to familiar local spaces. Every year Applause commissions new shows to tour alongside some returning favourites. These shows are developed especially for outdoor events and offers these professional, exciting and unique performances to a range of promoters including small village fetes and community events, as well as larger established events and festivals.
Want to take part?
Your work will entertain and engage a diverse audience, be self-sufficient (i.e. not require technical or other support / involvement by the host organisation) and be able to be accessed by all. Performances can be walk about, static productions (of no more than 25 minutes in length), installations or interactive events and are intended to suit a range of time frames and to slot into existing activities. You will be expected to perform up to three times in a day.
We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals or companies, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, social background, religion and/or belief.
Commissions and Reshape/Development Awards
To tour alongside our previously commissioned work, we are looking to support up to 6 new shows to be created for touring in 2022.
All ideas are welcome, including but not limited to work that responds to key cultural events that are happening in 2022 (i.e. Platinum Jubilee, Commonwealth Games) and work that includes community engagement in the development process.
Click here to download the full brief including fees
Applause is ready to get back to live events as restrictions ease this May, with a host of hand-picked shows perfect to get the community creative outdoors.
Arbor at Unfest
All the shows are Covid Safe, family friendly and designed for outdoor spaces, ideal for a community event, fete, or festival. There are 5 newly commissioned shows and 8 returning favourites providing a plethora of lively, inventive work to wow audiences across rural communities this Spring/Summer. Applause brings exceptional work right into the heart of communities, meaning audiences don’t have to travel far to see top quality performances. Working with a wide variety of events, from small village fetes to large festivals, Applause offers subsidies to volunteer promoters and programmers enabling them to showcase outstanding performances in their community. In 2019, Applause worked with 70 local events to enliven them with brilliant shows.
“I am so pleased that Applause Outdoors exists! Particularly this year, as we are coming out of lockdown and the crippling effect the pandemic has had on the arts. The Rye Arts Festival has booked many of the acts promoted by Applause Outdoors over the years: The Amazing Cauliflower Machine, Octopot, Bazazi Brothers, Rat Choc Chip to name but a few. So, in September 2021 we are planning to have a day of outside, covid-safe activities from Applause Outdoors at the opening of this year’s 50th anniversary celebratory Festival. It will be a day for families to gather and have fun in the beautiful ancient town of Rye with stimulating activities and shows that will inject some much-needed fun into our return to normality.”
Niki at Rye Arts Festival
Applause will be starting with a bang this May bank holiday weekend with JukeBoxes and Nearly There yet – see listings info below.
To find out more about Applause’s work or to book one of these fantastic performances this summer, please contact Community Engagement Lead, Alice Hiller: touring@applause.org.uk or 07979 888734. The performances available for touring this summer are listed below. Further information on all the shows can be found on the Applause website:
NEW COMMISSION • Dizzy O’Dare: Falconry Dismay A raucous, fun and very silly puppetry show about falconry displays. • Frolicked: Seeing Red A storytelling puppetry show that is a modern reworking of the classic fairy tale Red Riding Hood. • James Wilton Dance: iRobot A human and a robot fly through the air in this part dance, part trampolining extravaganza. • Frank Wurzinger: Tree Fellas A hilarious interactive comedy walkabout about a tree family looking for somewhere to settle down. • Beautiful Creatures Theatre: Bell Orchestra An interactive musical game for families, that invites audiences of all ages to come together to play beautiful melodies on a set of giant chimes
RETURNING FAVOURITES • The Flying Bazazi Brothers: Nearly There Yet This riotous double act, dance, juggle, and fall over each other for your viewing pleasure • Eric MacLennan: The Open Air Drawing Room Audience members are invited to stop, reflect see the bigger picture in a joyful celebration of collective creativity as they create a giant piece of art. • Rust & Stardust: Tweethearts A heart-warming tale of friendship and feathers, with live music, beautiful puppets and an enchanting tea room setting. • Smoking Apples: Arbor The Tree Follow Arbor’s story of being pushed from his home and his fight to preserve his future featuring a 17ft puppet and beautiful storytelling • Bootworks Theatre: Jukeboxes Street theatre fun with two JukeBoxes. Performers pop up with a host of props to bring to life pop-stars from past and present. • Enter Edem: Comedy Cavemen Walk about fun with the cavemen causing chaos and spreading an environmental message. • Joe Garbett Dance: Doubles Dance and ping pong collide with this high energy pop-up performance.
This short form is designed to help you asses whether or not your show is Rural Touring ready. We take you through the very basic needs of rural touring and give you a list of things to consider. We also point you to other helpful resources and pages along the way. Please note this form is NOT a way of submitting your show to be considered for touring but should be used as a tool to equip yourself with the knowledge you need to approach schemes.
