A new Advanced Planning strand of the Arts Council's Touring and Dissemination of Work Scheme is being introduced with an application date on Thursday, 6 October 2011. It is intended that the purpose and criteria for this strand will complement the existing scheme.

This new strand is to assist those tours which require commitments extending more than a year into the future and therefore require a lengthy planning horizon. For example, certain large-scale visual arts exhibitions often require considerable advance planning. Similarly, the retention of particular performers in other artforms may require confirmation to be made more than a year in advance.

Touring and Dissemination of Work - July to December 2012

The same date in October 2011 (i.e. Thursday, 6 October) will be used for tours planned within a shorter timeframe, i.e. to take place from July 2012 to December 2012. This will mark the beginning of a pattern of twice-yearly funding for tours taking place the following year.

Guidelines, eligibility criteria and application forms will be made available on-line early in September 2011.

Each year, an April deadline will invite applications for tours taking place from January to June the following year and the second deadline in October will support tours taking place from July to December the following year.