Although folk is at the heart of what our volunteer promoters tend to book, we’re open to all genres that offer something distinctive and enriching to our programme.

When submitting your fee, please make sure it:

• covers all costs, including travel, accommodation, meals, and other expenses.
• is per performance.
• reflects your experience, skill, and talent, and meets at least the minimum industry rates.
• ensures all creatives are paid fairly.

We cannot increase fees later, as we work within a set programming budget.

We do not negotiate lower fees, we value your work and believe in fair pay.  However, if we can offer three or more consecutive performances, we may discuss a reduced rate for the third and any additional shows, but only in consultation with you.

NEAT guarantees your fee. We only consider box office splits if that’s your preferred model.

Promoters don’t pay your fee directly, so their decisions are rarely based on cost.

The higher the fee, the greater the level of scrutiny your show will receive during our selection process. However, when it comes to access and inclusion, particularly for marginalised or underrepresented groups, our decision may be more flexible in relation to fees.

If you’re applying for or have been granted a Touring Fund for Theatre and Dance funding, please contact us as early as possible. We’d love to start a conversation to help you plan a successful tour.

Please select between 1 and 30 dates when you’re available to tour the North East of Scotland.

You can also tell us about your general availability. For example, if you live nearby and are flexible or have a specific touring window, let us know.

If your show is selected for our Volunteer Promoter Selection Menu and attracts interest, you’ll be able to update your dates later.

You don’t need to hold or reserve dates for NEAT. We encourage you to pursue other touring opportunities, too.

However, if a promoter selects your show and we begin programming, we ask that those dates remain provisional so we can quickly confirm bookings and contracts.

Printing and distributing marketing materials has become more expensive and less practical. Many of our promoters also have fewer places to display posters due to the closure of local shops, libraries, and pubs.

In the past, NEAT has helped by printing materials for artists, but this adds to our costs and staff time.

Going forward, we ask all touring companies and solo artists to:

• Provide a reasonable number of A4 posters and A5 flyers for each promoter.
• Post these materials directly to the promoters.
• If your materials include a blank space for box office info, we’ll send labels for promoters to stick on.
• If your materials are already overprinted with box office details, send them directly to the promoters.

If you don’t print your materials, we can do it for you at the following cost:

• £75 for design and printing for the first booking
• £10 for each additional booking
  (e.g. 3 bookings = £95)

Our promoters are busy people who give their time freely to support live performances in their communities. They come from all walks of life and are not professional programmers.

Lengthy, jargon-filled descriptions can be overwhelming and disengaging when reviewing a list of 30 – 40 productions. This doesn’t mean they aren’t open to diverse or complex topics, it just means they appreciate clarity and simplicity.

Please keep your answers short and use clear, straightforward language. This will help them quickly understand your show and increase the chance of it being selected.

We respect your privacy and will never share your information outside of NEAT without your permission.

Once a booking is confirmed, we’ll share your contact details with the volunteer promoter, and you’ll receive theirs too, so you can finalise arrangements directly.

Sometimes, sharing your details with other programmers can help secure extra dates and make your tour to the North East more worthwhile.

When you submit your show, you can tell us if you’re happy for us to share your details.

During your submission, you can tell us about any other venues you’ve booked or plan to book in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Moray, or as far north as Inverness.

This won’t affect your chances of being selected. It simply helps us:

• Plan more sustainable tours
• Avoid clashes with venues that have exclusion zones
• Reduce admin time for everyone
• Explore cross-promotion opportunities to grow your audience

NEAT does not use exclusion zones—we want as many people as possible to enjoy live performances. However, some venues listed below do, which may affect which NEAT venues can host your show:

• Aberdeen Arts Centre
• Dundee Rep, Dundee
• Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
• His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
• Nairn Community & Arts Centre
• The Barn, Banchory
• The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
• The Music Hall, Aberdeen
• Universal Hall, Findhorn

Sharing this info early helps us work better together.

As part of our commitment to cultural democracy, we’re introducing an Early Interest Poll for our Volunteer Promoters and Board of Trustees. This helps us understand which shows spark interest and supports the creation of a diverse, engaging menu.

What you need to know about the poll:

• It’s Not a Final Decision: This poll helps us gauge interest, it doesn’t guarantee inclusion or exclusion from the final menu.
• No Limits: Promoters can select as many shows as they like.
• All Shows Are Considered: Not being selected in the poll doesn’t mean your show won’t be included. We aim for variety and balance.
• Audience Involvement Coming Soon: From 2027, we’ll invite audiences to participate in the selection process too.

What else do we consider?

• Fee: We review all fees carefully. A lower fee isn’t automatically better, but higher fees may be subject to more scrutiny.
• Technical Requirements: Due to the limitations of our venues, shows with complex tech needs can be harder to place.
• Content: We support freedom of expression, but we also have a duty to ensure content is respectful, inclusive, and does not promote hate or discrimination. Challenging work is welcome when presented in a safe and thoughtful way.
• Previous History: Shows included in past menus but not selected, or shows that have already toured with NEAT, may not be included again. This helps us keep the menu fresh and exciting for promoters and audiences.
• Genre Balance: We aim for a broad mix of genres. To do this, we balance the number of shows in each category based on community interest.

Rural audiences are much like urban ones – just smaller in number. In the past, many people in rural communities would attend every show at their local hall, seeing it as a chance to enjoy culture, socialise, and support their venue.

But things have changed. Since the pandemic and rising cost of living, audiences have become more selective about what they attend. Like in cities, not everyone in rural areas enjoys theatre, dance, music, or storytelling – and that’s okay.

Running a volunteer-led venue is also more expensive now. Even with NEAT’s support, there’s still financial risk involved. That’s why many promoters aim to choose shows that appeal to a broad audience and bring the whole community together.