Adelaide to host new national performing arts market

MADE Company PANEIn a coup for the local arts sector, and with the endorsement of the Performing Arts Touring Alliance, Adelaide will host a new national performing arts touring market from February 2017.

ShowBroker: National Touring Arts Market will bring together up to 300 presenters, programmers, producers and performing artists from around Australia to see shows, meet colleagues and most importantly, do deals. It will be held at the height of South Australia’s Festival season, in the middle of the Fringe and in the lead up to the Festival opening weekend, when the city is at the epicentre of the Australian performing arts scene.

ShowBroker will be an exciting addition to the already rich arts offerings at that time of year, when pop-up theatres and venues spring up beside our established cultural centres,” says Minister for the Arts Jack Snelling. “This will immerse delegates in the full 24/7 festival experience. There will be spin offs for tourism, further national and international recognition of our arts sector, and tours secured by our local artists will supplement the funding the Government provides these artists.”

The influx of delegates will also be a boon for tourism and will also re-establish South Australia as the natural home of performing arts activity, with ShowBroker’s core program built around seeing the best tour-ready Australian work and maximising opportunities to see it and book it.

A transactional market, focused on bookings and tours, Arts South Australia will deliver the event in collaboration with the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival Centre and the South Australian Presenters’ Association with the endorsement of the Performing Arts Touring Alliance (PATA).

The National Touring Selector database, currently managed by Country Arts SA, will be upgraded to manage all the market’s IT needs, including collating, tracking and facilitating tour interest.

Earlier this year, the Performing Arts Touring Alliance (PATA) invited expressions of interest to manage and host a National Performing Arts Market. South Australia’s bid was successful.

“The Performing Arts Touring Alliance (PATA) has been working hard over a number of years to enable better outcomes for audiences in metropolitan, suburban and regional Australia from the arts centres that present the shows and the producing companies and artists who make the work,” said Merryn Carter, PATA Executive Officer.

“We are excited that Adelaide will be offering an innovative approach to matching presenters with producers who can provide events appropriate for their audiences. The market will complement state-based touring showcases and APACA’s annual Performing Arts Exchange.”

“It is designed to maximize the amount of tour-ready work available, and will provide opportunities for small producers to apply for support to attend. We look forward to seeing many tours announced as a result of this new market.”

PATA is Australia’s national peak alliance representing producing companies, presenters, venue managers and tour coordinators who provide communities in regional, remote, outer metropolitan and suburban Australia, as well as capital cities, with a wealth of performing arts experiences.

Image: PANE – courtesy of MADE Company