Strollers Touring Network
The STROLLERS Touring Network (STN) comprises of ten Theatre/Arts Centre venues located across Ireland. It is currently the largest touring network in the country. The network has five key functions:
• To establish a touring network of performance venues across Ireland.
• To support/co-produce work for touring (across all artforms).
• To receive touring works from artists and production companies (across all artforms).
• To sustain, develop and nurture our audiences for the performing arts.
• To develop relationships with artists and production companies that we work with.
STN operates in two distinct ways:
The first is a ‘Production Award’ (€10,000) to assist companies in making work for touring.
The second is a ‘Touring Platform’ providing touring opportunities for companies, producers and artists.
STROLLERS PRODUCTION AWARD
In order to support artists and our audiences STN introduced a PRODUCTION AWARD which encourages companies, producers etc. to make work with the cooperation and collaboration of the 10 venue partners. A total award of up to €10,000 is offered to assist with the financing of a piece of artwork along with a 10 venue tour to each of the venue partners. The tour is further supported with a guarantee fee from each venue.
PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
2010 - Garter Lane and Lane Productions for All Ireland Tour of ‘Brighton’ by Jim Nolan.
2011 - Julie Feeny for new collaborative project working with regional choirs and new choral commission.
2012 - Theatre Lovett - A new commission for a touring production for Children and family audiences.
2013 - Fishamble: The New Play Company ‘Little Thing, Big Thing’ a new play by Donal O’Kelly.
2014/2015 - Moonfish Theatre Company ‘Star of the Sea’.
2016 - Monkeyshine Theatre - ‘Voyage’.
2017 - Duke Special – ‘Hallow’ – music performance based on works by poet Michael Longley.
2018 - Fishamble: The New Play Company - 'Before' by Pat Kinevane.
The ten venue members and their respective capacities are:
Siamsa Tire, Tralee - Seating 350
Hawkswell, Sligo - Seating 336
VISUAL, Carlow - Seating 335
Watergate, Kilkenny - Seating 328
Solstice, Navan - Seating 320
Draiocht, Blanchardstown - Seating 286
The Source Arts Centre, Thurles - Seating 250
Belltable, Limerick - Seating 220
Riverbank, Newbridge - Seating 180
Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar - 144
NETWORK Collaboration
The network pools resources in order to share touring work. The pooling of resources can often mean sharing travel expenses across the 10 partners, using a collective pot of money to assist a company to make work that otherwise could not be funded by one venue alone, pooling finances to ensure that audience’s needs are met by commissioning work.