The Arts Council is introducing a new funding scheme to support the touring and dissemination of work in all artforms. Building on the interim scheme introduced for 2010, the new scheme is one of a number of initiatives designed to implement the Council’s Touring Policy, with a strong focus on the audience.

As referred to in previous announcements, it is intended that the touring and dissemination of work will be supported by a number of strands to take account of the different timeframes involved in the planning of tours and similar activities in different artforms.

These strands are:

• Medium term planning
• Advance planning
• Short term planning

The medium term planning strand will be introduced first, as the principal scheme for 2011. This will support tours taking place within the calendar year 2011.

The application deadline for this strand will be on 1 October 2010. It is expected that applicants will be notified of the outcomes of their applications by 30 November 2010.

Details of this strand are being finalised and will be published by mid-August 2010.

Further announcements regarding the advance and short term planning strands will be announced in due course.