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

WHAT WE DO

Arts on Tour is one of Australia’s most prolific performing arts touring organisations and the peak body for touring in NSW. We work with NSW-based artists and producing companies, 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.

Widely recognised for leading on touring best practice, our Sector Development Program includes initiatives, training and events to build the touring capacity of the sector as a whole and maximise the impact of our activity in the communities we work with.

Arts on Tour is committed to minimising the negative environmental impact of touring. Arts on Tour’s touring and operations will be carbon neutral by 2024 and our Green Touring Initiative is designed to support the transition of the sector to sustainable practices.

Our Scope

Deliver a culturally and artistically diverse range of performing arts tours that connect NSW artists and audiences across Australia: Touring

Provide best practice tour management services to NSW producers and national presenters: working with Producers and Presenters

Advocate for a thriving and responsive touring sector and lead on change that strengthens and sustains the performing arts sector

Manage a program of initiatives that increases the touring capacity of the sector and the audience reach of touring productions as well as leads on best practice: Initiatives

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

Every Australian has the right to access high quality arts experiences. 

Art experiences has the power to change lives and transform communities. 

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

To be relevant to contemporary Australia, the productions we make and tour must reflect our nation’s rich diversity.

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 is a multi-award winner of APACA's Tour of the Year Drover Award, and AOT productions have been frequent winners of the Helpmann Award for Best Regional Touring Production.