Our vision is for every community to have a creative pulse, made stronger by the arts experiences we bring.

WHAT WE DO

Based on Gadigal land in Redfern, Arts on Tour is one of Australia’s most prolific touring service organisations for the performing arts and the peak body for touring in NSW. We work with NSW-based makers and presenting venues nationally to deliver a culturally and artistically diverse Annual Touring Program that reaches over 100,000 audience members across Australia each year. We are widely recognised for leading on touring best practice, with a Sector Development Program of initiatives and events that aims to build the touring capacity of the sector as a whole and maximise the impact of our activity in the communities we work with.

A core value of Arts on Tour is caring for the wellbeing of people and our planet. Our Environmental Commitment sees us take responsibility for the need to balance the positive impact of live arts experiences for artists and communities with the negative environmental impact of making, touring and presenting work. We do this by bringing an environmental lens to our operations, programming and touring practices, and by offering upskilling and eco literacy programs to the performing arts sector as part of our ongoing Green Touring Initiative.

Our Scope

Deliver a culturally and artistically diverse Touring Program that connect NSW artists with communities across Australia

Provide exceptional tour producing and tour management services to NSW artists and Producers, and national Presenters

Manage a program of Initiatives that upskills artists and provides pathways in touring to contribute to career and sector sustainability

Advocate for a vibrant, diverse and environmentally responsible touring sector by leading on best practice and the development of new touring models

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

At AOT we passionately believe in the importance of audiences and communities across Australia having access to live performing arts experiences, both locally made work and touring productions, because we know they have a significant positive impact in communities at a cultural, social and economic level. For artists and the performing arts sector, touring provides the invaluable opportunity of connecting to audiences far and wide, to an exchange of ideas and creativity, and to contributing to a rich and integrated performing arts landscape across Australia.

Our Philosophy

We champion First Nations stories and work that speaks to the plurality of contemporary Australia

Every Australian has the right to access high quality arts experiences 

Art experiences have the power to change lives and transform communities 

The liveability of regional towns and cities is enriched by a broad-ranging cultural offering

We have a responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of touring

History

Arts on Tour is a critical resource and national leader in touring in Australia

Founded in 1991, Arts on Tour was established out of an identified need for a tour coordinating organisation to ensure performing arts activity was accessible to regional audiences in NSW, and not just centred on major cities and towns.

Early touring activity included the Ensemble Theatre, Aboriginal and Islander Dance Theatre, The Warumpi Band and Sydney Theatre Company, as well as companies we continue to work with today, such as The Flying Fruit Fly Circus and Belvoir. Two years after its inception AOT coordinated 8 tours in a year to over 40 towns, reaching over 30,000 people.

Over the last 10 years AOT has increased its focus on NSW-based artists and increased its program of activity, with an average output of 12-15 national tours each year to 170 towns across Australia, reaching over 100,000 people. Arts on Tour was awarded a PAC Australia Innovation Award for the Green Touring Toolkit in 2022 and is a multi-award winner of PAC Australia's Tour of the Year Awards.