A campaign to keep Highlands and Islands rural arts alive in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic has been launched by organisers.
The Touring Network, as part of the Keep Rural Arts Live crowdfunding drive, has been selected to take part in Creative Scotland and Crowdfunder’s Crowdfund Creative Scotland scheme.
The project offers the opportunity for match funding from Creative Scotland if the campaign hits its fundraising targets.
The Touring Network has been staging performances across rural Scotland for more than 40 years – putting on 900 events in 2019.
Any cash raised will help subsidise lost ticket income due to socially distanced reduced capacity and will ensure tickets remain affordable for communities.
The Keep Rural Arts Live campaign is asking for donations of £2 and above, with ‘thank you’ packages available to local businesses.
The crowdfunding drive, which opened yesterday, has target of £20,000.
As part of the campaign, The Touring Network will be broadcasting The Spotlight Sessions to 8 rural communities across Scotland on August 20 and 27 at 8pm.
The Spotlight Sessions will offer rural audiences a preview of what could be touring to their community post-coronavirus.
The sessions will showcase a series of online extracts from new shows that the organisation are hoping to tour across the Highlands & Islands in 2021, including shows with Scottish singer-songwriter Horse McDonald.
