New Theatre Commission Opens for South East and South West

The search is now on for an artist or theatre company from the South East or South West of England to create a new show as part of the second phase of Create Tour Connect, a national project offering opportunities for artists to develop work and reach audiences through rural touring.

Led by Applause Rural Touring and supported by Arts Council England, Create Tour Connect has secured funding to commission and tour three new shows between 2028 and 2029.

For the first commission of this new phase, Applause is working with Artsreach to find a new piece of theatre from the South East or South West. The successful artist or company will develop the work during 2027/28 before taking it on tour in Spring 2028.

The project responds to a growing need for multi-performer drama and theatre that can tour to rural and community venues and speaks to the experiences of contemporary rural audiences.

The first phase of Create Tour Connect is already reaching audiences, with Pipeline Theatre’s George and the Drag Queen currently touring, followed by a new production from Out of Chaos in Spring 2027. More than 3,000 people have already experienced a Create Tour Connect production.

At the heart of the project is a partnership of 18 arts organisations from across the country. Together, they bring local knowledge, resources and expertise in rural touring and new work development, helping artists create ambitious theatre that can reach audiences beyond traditional venues.

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The commission

The project is seeking:

• A new piece of theatre aimed at contemporary rural and community adult audiences.
• A three-person cast plus one technician for the touring production.
• A minimum 36-date tour through the rural touring network, running from late January to early May 2028.
• A development period taking place during 2027/28.
• An artist or company based in the South East or South West region of England, as defined by Arts Council England.
• Applicants with an understanding of, or experience in, touring work to community spaces.
• Availability to develop the production and undertake the Spring 2028 tour.

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Key dates

Application deadline: 1 November 2026
Shortlisted applicants contacted: Week commencing 23 November 2026
Online interviews: Week commencing 30 November 2026
Final decision: By mid-December 2026
Draft publicity material required for tour menus: March 2027

A panel made up of representatives from the commissioning organisations will select the successful artist or company. Applicants will first be shortlisted, with those selected invited to an informal online conversation to explore their proposals in more detail before the final decision is made.

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How to apply

Applications must be submitted through the Eventotron online platform.

If you already have an Eventotron account, you can apply to Create Tour Connect 2 – South East/West. If you're new to Eventotron, you can create a free account before submitting your application.

The project is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from individuals and companies regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, social background, religion and/or belief.

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What should your application include?

Applicants will be asked to tell us about:

• You or your company and the work you create.
• Your proposed production and your experience of, or understanding of, rural and community touring.
• Your proposed budget and touring fees.
• Your approach to sustainability.

Applicants who would prefer to submit their application as a video or voice recording can contact programming@applause.org.uk for further information.

If you have questions about the commission or would like to talk through your application before applying, please contact Sally Lampitt at programming@applause.org.uk.

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Useful documents

The full commission information and application guidance are available below, including details of the development and touring fees and the budget template that all applicants must complete.

• Commission Brief and How to Apply – outline information
• Guidance Document – further information and guidance
• Budget Template – all applicants must use and upload this template as part of their application

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