Touring Arts in Libraries – TAIL Project

‘Libraries and Rural Touring Arts’ – maximising the potential of our nation’s libraries.

This National Rural Touring Forum project was about supporting touring into Libraries on a national scale and was funded by Arts Council England.

Latest Project News:

What is next for the TAIL project?

The TAIL project was completed in December 2022. But the NRTF will continue to share resources, library relevant touring work and offering mentoring support through it’s regular mail outs, resource pages and events.. The future of libraries as cultural hubs is exciting and full of opportunity so we will continue to nurture partnerships and support projects that ensure more creative experiences are happening in our libraries.

Project contact: Jess Huffman
NRTF Project Manager
E: project@nrtf.org.uk

TAIL Project Directory of Library relevant Touring Shows: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12dv7ayeyYglRbivtZa4FK21rHQNVD5Uyz_jOf5Vwhd4/edit?usp=sharing 

TAIL Directory

• Do you have a show designed specifically for libraries?
• Or a show that could be adapted to work in a library setting?
• Or an idea that could be developed in collaboration with a library to suit their space or audience?
• Are you a scheme or arts organisation keen to tour an existing show more widely to library venues?

As part of our Touring Arts in Libraries (TAIL) Project, we are inviting artists to put work suitable for touring into libraries forward for our TAIL project Artists Directory by completing this form.

TAIL Project Summary

Funded by the Arts Council England, the National Rural Touring Forum (NRTF) presented a new national ‘Touring Arts in Libraries’ TAIL Project which looked to explore the challenges and potential of our nation’s libraries to expand their service offer and diversify audiences through a programme of touring arts.

TAIL Project Outcomes

• Identified existing experience, expertise and knowledge through case studies
• Increased dialogue, networking opportunities and collaborations
• Increased skills and capacity of public libraries to programme toured work
• Provided mentoring and coaching opportunities.
• Promoted Rural Touring arts activities in Libraries.
• Supported libraries to diversify their services and engage audiences
• Increased appetite and ambition of libraries
  

Project Opportunities included…

• Contributing to our national portfolio of relevant case studies
• Joining our programme of networking events and forums
• Accessing new resources, toolkits, best practice guides
• Applying for Library specific commissions
• Attending our tailored TAIL Inspire programme
• Accessing mentors from across the UK
• Qualifying for bursaries to attend the NRTF conference in June 2021
• Taking up Go-See opportunities for relevant, Library specific work
• Featuring as part of our national menu of Library specific work
• Benefiting from free NRTF membership

This project has been made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England.

Who got involved…?

• Libraries looking to expand their cultural offer to audiences
• Promoters looking for new ways to link up with their local library
• Rural touring schemes looking for artists and Library specific work
• Artists with shows and ideas suitable for libraries and experience of taking work into a library setting

Whatever your sector or role, if you want to know more about this project please contact the NRTF Project Manager: Jess Huffman: project@nrtf.org.uk

Keep an eye on this page for

Project updates, news, opportunities, resources and toolkits, a programme of networking, training and go-see opportunities, arts in Library events happening across the UK and relevant sector stories.