Key takeaways from The Gathering 2025
The Touring Network’s flagship annual event was held across 9-10 May in the historic Strathpeffer Pavilion, providing time and space for promoter and performer members to connect with each other, as well as funders and other creative professionals.
If you weren’t able to make the event – or even if you did and need a reminder – here are the key takeaways from the two days.
Showcasing new work
The key focus of the Gathering is the showcases, which directly connect promoters and programmers to a range of high-quality, ready-to-tour acts. Performers were selected earlier in the year by our expert panel.
This year, delegates were able to see ten performers from multiple genres showcase their work, with a further 14 presenting shorter Wee Turns.
If you’re interested in booking any of this year’s acts, you can access their Tourbook details in this document.
Dance in focus
This year the Gathering 2025 brought dance centre stage, hosting a workshop that aimed to inspire and encourage promoters to programme more performances from this genre.
Anita Clark, Director of The Work Room and Lulu Johnston, Creative Scotland’s Dance Officer, led a brilliant and energetic session, sharing information about dance performances currently touring, as well as potential funding streams. You can see a copy of their presentation. Key points included:
Dance performances currently touring rurally
- AFTER ALL by Solène Weinachter. Currently touring in some Touring Network venues in summer 2025, and have capacity for further touring in the Autumn.
- Bodies of Water by Saffy Setohy. Currently touring in some Touring Network venues. Have some capacity for further dates.
- BLOOM by Kae Sakurai. Kae is a step dancer and fiddler. BLOOM integrates dance, music and video and is touring in the Autumn.
- A Journey of Flight by Kathryn Gordon. Touring in the summer and available for further touring.
- These Mechanisms by Christine Thynne & Robbie Synge. Will be adapted for rural touring in June followed by touring in October 2025 and Spring 2026.
- A Home For Hamish by Clare Adams and Les Howard. For children. Created for both studio theatres and village or community halls, it will be touring in Autumn 2025 and next Spring/ Summer.
Creative Scotland’s Touring Fund
The Touring Fund supports professional theatre and dance productions of varying scales to tour across Scotland. Applications can come from individual artists, companies, producers, or consortia of venues presenting a shared touring programme. Venues & Promoters must be part of the Touring Fund venue cohort and follow The FST Touring Code of Practice to be eligible to receive and programme Touring Fund work.
Networking and discussion
Feedback from The Gathering was very positive, with both promoters and performers valuing the opportunity to see and connect with each other, resulting in multiple bookings and commitments being made.
Stay tuned for The Gathering 2026
We will be announcing the date and venue for next year’s Gathering in late summer.
We wish to thank the Strathpeffer Pavilion Community Trust and Highlife Highland for supporting The Gathering 2025.
I made connections to musicians we would like to host at some of our gigs…I connected with a comedian, dancers and lots of other interesting and diverse people from different genres. I felt a sense of belonging.”