Backroads connects communities throughout regional and remote NSW to small-scale, high quality performing arts events. The initiative aims to extend and support the reach of professional productions to regional towns that do not have performing arts centres as well as support small hall activation and the work of independent producers and artists.

Backroads is best suited to adaptable, low-budget NSW-based productions that would feel at home in a community centre, old town hall, or small, independent theatre. Tours need to be self-sufficient, able to produce, mount and market their work in regional and remote towns.

Applicants from NSW can apply for one of three $7,000 grants to support a tour to 1-3 independent or community-run venues. The tour may include major performing arts centres but Backroads funds cannot go towards the delivery of those performances. 

You can read about the sorts of venues we support on our Backroads Venues page, and you can view a list of ineligible venues in the Backroads Guidelines, which you can download below.

Backroads 2025 - Guidelines
( 915.4 KB .pdf file )

Read about potential Backroads Venues

WHO SHOULD APPLY

A Backroads applicant must be NSW-based and should be the person taking financial responsibility for the tour or project. The initiative is best suited to adaptable, low-budget touring productions, but there are independent and community-run venues across NSW with a wide range of capacities and capabilities. 

We welcome applications from experienced makers that are relatively new to touring. If required, Arts on Tour can assist these applicants with their budget, finding a suitable venue/s, and any other queries they may have relating to their application.

For full details on eligibility and assessment criteria, please download and read the Guidelines above. If you are still unsure if you are eligible, please contact Mark.

These are a few ‘case studies’ of the sort of projects funded by Backroads, though it's not an exhaustive list!

• A regional conservatorium wants to tour their chamber ensemble of four musicians to three community halls, each a 2-3 hour drive away. They do not require amplification so select small community halls without professional sound systems. They believe they can sell 50 tickets in each town, which will not cover costs so they apply for $10,000 to cover the budget deficit.
• A children’s theatre company has a tour booked to four regional arts centres, but wants to extend the tour to one town hall and one local cinema in a more remote region – the venues have the required tech support, but ticket sales in the smaller towns will not cover travel costs and wages, so the company applies for $8,000 to cover the budget deficit.
• An artist has interest to present their one-person show at an independent regional theatre 5 hours from where they live and work, but their projected ticket sales show a small deficit, so they apply for $1,500 to make the show viable.
• A local council wants to activate a recently renovated community hall, so they apply for $10,000 to bring in touring musicians and hire technical equipment for four events spread across the year; the budget is also supported by income from ticket sales and council funds.
• A community group working with a marginalised community in their town wants to tour in a production created by artists from the same cultural background; the artists deliver workshops in the week leading up to the performance, all of which takes place in the local town hall. The project has some existing funding, but the group applies for $10,000 to cover the budget deficit.

Brokering Support

In 2025, Arts on Tour will continue its partnership with Eastern Riverina Arts to offer brokering support as part of its Riverina Touring Network. Led by Tour Producer, Remy Chadwick, the support is available to all Backroads applicants (not just successful recipients) at any time of the year. The venues in this mini touring network include a variety of halls and theatres across Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Junee, Snowy Valleys and Wagga Wagga local councils. More details about these venues are available in our Featured Venues section HERE, and on our Suggested Venue list, which can be downloaded from the Resources section on this page. If you have a project/production that is a good fit for the communities in the Eastern Riverina region, contact Remy at remy@easternriverinaarts.org.au

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for Backroads 2025 open on Wednesday 23 July at 9am (AEST) and close on Wednesday 17 September at 5pm (AEST).

An application information session will be held via zoom on Wednesday 16 July at 3pm (AEST) - register here.

All applicants are required to contact Mark at Arts on Tour prior to submitting an application to discuss their project.

The Guidelines and a preview of the application form are available to download from the 'Resources' section on this webpage.

Sign up to our mailing list to be reminded when applications open

2024 Recipients

Lorina Barker, Taragara Aboriginal Corporation
'Trucked Off'
Locations:  Inverell/Tingha
An immersive theatre performance in collaboration with Dr Lorina Barker, theatre practitioner Julie Collins, and the Wangkumarra Elders, telling the story of the removal of Lorina’s family from Tibooburra to Brewarinna, 500kms away, with Wangkumarra Elders and family members participating as actors.

Marty Bright, Blue Mountains Comedy
'Laughs Out West'
Locations: Oberon, Mudgee, Carcoar
A touring showcase of diverse comedians from around Australia, hosted by Marty Bright. Including performances and pre-show engagement to increase and encourage community connections that can only come through gathering in laughter.

Gai Bryant, Spare Parts Productions
'Caribé/Ally Regional Tour'
Locations: Cootamundra, Oberon, Coonabarabran, Kempsey
A five-piece touring group comprising of musicians from two Latin music ensembles, Caribé and ALLY. Featuring storytelling, dance and music inspired by Afro-Cuban, Afro-Peruvian, Brazilian and Andalusian cultures.

Alyce Fisher, Theatre On Toast
‘Tinderella & the eight unique uses of Tinder’
Locations: Merimbula, Bermagui, Moruya
A comedy cabaret created and performed by Alyce Fisher exploring real life Tinder tales and app dating culture, which aims to empower audiences to take control of their own app dating experience.

Lillian Rodrigues-Pang, The Story Line
'The Church of the Clitori'
Locations: Bellingen, Brunswick Heads, Gosford
A bold, experimental parody on a church service with a feminist lens. Drawing on the positive beauty of storytelling, singing together, and praise, and addressing patriarchy, power, appropriation, genital love and female value, with a focus on the underrepresentation of the clitoris.