Call for Applications

Touring New Zealand

A training and development opportunity for arts practitioners

and tour managers

Introduction: Creative New Zealand (CNZ) and The Edge are calling for applications from arts practitioners and tour managers interested in developing their knowledge of how to organise successful tours of performing art works and writers within New Zealand.  

Performing art works means the presentation of performances before a live audience and includes theatre, dance and music performances.

The Course: The Course will be delivered by The Edge and will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to:

▪        decide and apply criteria for what makes a work or group tour-capable and tour-ready;

▪        plan a tour including the tour’s itinerary and budget; negotiate rights and royalty agreements; contract performers/writers and book venues, accommodation, transport, and freight;

▪        sell a production through touring networks, contacts and at markets; negotiate with venues; make a risk management plan and propose a profit share agreement;

▪        plan and manage a tour’s marketing and promotion including audience profiling, identify community support sources, book appropriate publicity, and plan and execute necessary sponsorship and fundraising activities;

▪        execute a tour, including dealing with foreseen and unforeseen circumstances;

▪        finish a tour well through the timely completion of required tasks; and

▪        decide appropriate organisational structures and operational procedures for a touring company, work or group.

The Course is to take account of the cultural needs and perspectives of practitioners with a focus on touring works by Māori and New Zealand Pacific artists.

Course Dates: The dates for the Course are:

Mon. 24 – Thurs 27 May:        Four-day workshop based at The Edge, Aotea Centre, Auckland. Workshop to cover Māori performing arts and tikanga, touring of NZ Pacific Arts, tour planning, financial management, negotiation skills, assessing production requirements, marketing and promotion, legal requirements.

Fri 28 May – Sat. 20 June       Participants work on planning their own touring project During this period Course participants will be able to access Course tutors to ask questions about their individual projects and to act as a project mentor.

Mon 21 – Tues 22 June           Two-day workshop at The Edge, Aotea Centre, Auckland. Participants to present their tour plans and practice pitching work to prospective venues, partners and buyers of the work. Also how to plan and deal with issues that may arise ‘on the road’.

23 June – 10 July                     Participants complete their individual projects.

By Mon 12 July                       Participants submit their individual projects for review by their mentor.

Thurs 15 – Thurs 22 July         Participants to be interviewed via telephone or online to assess their ability to apply knowledge gained during the course.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria: The number of Course participants is limited and selection of Course participants will be made by CNZ. To be considered for selection as a Course participant you must submit a written application to CNZ. A written application must demonstrate the applicant has:

▪        A track record of having successfully produced for public presentation at least two NZ performing arts works OR successfully organised the public presentations by at least two NZ writers.

▪        The ability to attend and participate in the Touring New Zealand Course workshops being held at The Edge in Auckland on 24 - 27 May and 21 – 22 June 2010.

▪        The ability to apply course content to a specific project during June- July 2010.

▪        A readiness to understand and take account of the cultural needs and perspectives of practitioners with a focus on touring works by Māori and New Zealand Pacific artists.

Applicants should identify any future plans they may have to tour performing art works or writers within New Zealand. Applicants may also wish to identify areas of domestic touring skills they especially wish to develop as part of the Course.

The following are not eligible to apply to this Course:

▪        CNZ staff and members of the Arts Council, the Arts Board, Te Waka Toi, or the Pacific Arts Committee

▪        People who have a CNZ project completion report overdue or late for a previous CNZ grant

▪        People currently listed as being a Default Client of CNZ

▪        People who are not New Zealand citizens or residents

Access to the Internet: Applicants should note ready access to the internet, either at home or via a public library or internet café, may be required to make the most of the opportunities to ask tutors questions and consult with a mentor. An applicant should indicate in their application if they have ready access to the internet.

Course Contribution: The Arts Board, Te Waka Toi and the Pacific Arts Committee have each committed funding to support the Course as part of the roll out of CNZ’s Distribution Strategy. A contribution of $100 (plus GST) will also be payable by each Course participant.

Participants who may face difficulties making the financial contribution to the Course may be able to have all or part of their contribution subsidised by CNZ if:

▪        an applicant includes a statement about the nature of the financial difficulties and the level of subsidy required to participate in the course; and

▪        CNZ considers the difficulties outlined will prevent the applicant from benefiting from the course and achieving their potential.

CNZ shall have the sole right to determine if it shall offer to subsidise a participant’s course contribution and the sole right to determine the level and nature of each subsidy provided.

A deposit of 33% of the contribution shall be required to be paid to CNZ within 14 days of the sending of the offer to be a Course participant. The deposit shall be non-refundable in the event that a participant is unable to attend or complete the Course.

Travel and accommodations costs: For Course participants who reside outside the Auckland region, CNZ will contribute a set amount towards the cost of travel and accommodation required to attend the required workshops.

Submitting an Application:  Written applications to be a Course participant must be received by no later than 5 pm on Wednesday 31 March at the Wellington office of Creative New Zealand (Level 2, 131- 135 Lambton Quay, Wellington). Posted or couriered applications should be addressed to:

Touring New Zealand Course

Creative New Zealand

PO Box 3806

Wellington

Applications may also be sent to the e-mail address john.mcdavitt@creativenz.govt.nz  

Applications received at CNZ after 5 pm on the 31 March 2010 will not be considered.

Further Information: If you have any questions or require further information about the Course or Course applications please contact the CNZ Advisor John McDavitt at Creative New Zealand, PO Box 3806, Wellington. Phone: (04) 498 0735 or email: john.mcdavitt@creativenz.govt.nz