Rural Touring Promoters

Extraordinary Moments in Ordinary Places 

We believe people living outside cities and large towns should have access to the best live arts experiences at an affordable price. Here’s how we bring exciting live performance to Somerset’s communities and how you can bring these shows to where you live. 

Take Art Rural Touring curates an annual ‘menu’ of high quality shows that are available to perform in community venues, such as village halls, cafes, pubs and libraries in Somerset over the next year. Local promoting groups choose what they want from this menu. The acts span the worlds of music, theatre, spoken word, circus and dance. 

Artist fees, usually unaffordable for smaller venues, are subsidised by the scheme to make them affordable to communities. The scheme is funded by Somerset’s local authorities. It’s a winning formula, one that Take Art has been running for Somerset since 1987. 

You can bring Rural Touring shows to your community venues and create occasions that are talked about for years to come! Promoting arts events helps people in your community connect with each other and enhances their quality of life. 

Promoting is a rewarding experience and we offer all our promoters support in organising successful events. If you are interested in promoting high quality shows at affordable prices where you live, there is a step-by-step guide at the bottom of the page. For more information, please contact Danny Pedler at danny@takeart.org. 

We hold an annual Promoters Meeting to launch the menu of shows on offer for the following season. It's an opportunity for promoters from across Somerset to meet, to exchange good and bad experiences, to discuss new ideas and ways of working together, and to get to know the Take Art staff and board of directors.

Download Rural Touring Promoters' Menu & Booking Form 2024/25

Deadline for booking requests is Friday 10 May 2024.

Step by Step guide to becoming a Take Art promoter 

1. Create your team! 

Assemble a group of enthusiastic, committed people that can help you promote shows. Often people on a village hall committee to book the venue, and people willing to help with flyering are good bets! 

2. Nominate your ‘Promoter’ 

Danny at Take Art will work with one person from the promoting group to keep things simple.  

3. Find your venue 

Talk to the venue where you want to put on shows and work out an arrangement with them. 

4. Pick your act from the menu 

A different menu of shows is published annually, find the current one on this page. Choose a show that grabs you and your team. It should be one that you feel comfortable promoting and that you think will go down well with your community. 

5. Submit a Booking Request Form 

You can find a booking request form on this page. Send it to Danny. He will then work with you to identify the right date, time and ticket prices and will get the show to you!