It’s a proud milestone for the arts organisation, which has delivered over 750 live shows over the last decade as the popular scheme has spread across the county.
Running for 35 years, Live & Local is a not-for-profit National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) based in Warwick, which works with a network of over 300 village halls, community networks and voluntary groups across the Midlands (which also includes Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire). With funding from Arts Council England and various local authorities across the Midlands, it provides a range of support for arts activities that keep people in touch with their communities and enhance their quality of life.
A proper Night Out
Though it’s certainly not new (rural touring has been around since the Middle Ages!), it is often described as the arts sector’s “best kept secret”, while The Guardian newspaper heaped praise on the sector when it said, “Rural touring is where the liveliest gigs happen and where the warmest friendships are made.”
Essentially, Live & Local’s scheme offers rural populations in Lincolnshire and the wider Midlands a proper night out without having to travel very far.
Delivering quality live arts to the doorstep is the beating heart of the scheme. For rural communities, access to the arts can be severely limited. There are many factors that can prevent these communities from accessing the arts. For example, distance from the nearest arts centre or theatre is a barrier as well as poor transport links, low income and digital exclusion.
How Does it Work?
Chris Davis, Live & Local’s Engagement Manager explains:
“We curate a menu of shows ranging from music, drama, comedy-theatre, dance, storytelling, puppetry and more and present them to our promoter network, who then examine all the information available to select their own schedule of shows at their village halls. We make sure that the shows we offer are suited to rural touring. For example, our shows need to be flexible, often specially conceived or adapted to be performed in small spaces. Our shows are always professional, diverse and of the highest standard. The shows on our scheme are as professional as what you would find at an arts centre or theatre in any city or town. They’re just designed to work in smaller spaces.”
Volunteering Is Key
Led by Executive Director, John Laidlaw, who was awarded an MBE in 2019 for service to the arts, the team at Live & Local are a friendly, passionate and dedicated bunch, some of whom are arts practitioners themselves or have invaluable arts and community development backgrounds. However, rural touring is only made possible by an army of volunteers up and down the country. These volunteers form a promoter group, who work together to select and host the shows in their village halls.
Kristie Naimo, Live & Local’s Company Manager adds:
“Our volunteers all have different backgrounds but commonly, they are all extremely passionate about the arts and their communities. Without their dedication, many communities would be starved of live entertainment, arts and culture.”
Finding Artists through DART
Over the last 10 years, Live & Local have enabled over 230 unique companies to perform throughout Lincolnshire. One of the things that sets Live & Local apart from other schemes is its DART initiative, aimed at supporting performing artists based in or working within the Midlands. Developing Artists for Rural Touring (DART) is a talent development programme, launched in 2013, it has since supported nearly 100 artists and companies in shaping their practice for rural touring.
Steve Wilson, Artist Engagement Officer for Live & Local says:
“It’s extremely rewarding to see how successful DART has become over the years in terms of raising both awareness of rural touring to the performing sector but also of capturing the attention of artists in the region. It’s also fantastic to see so many of the artists who have participated in DART progress on to our menu.”
Live & Local’s current season runs until 1st June 2025. For full details of shows and box office information in Lincolnshire and neighbouring counties, and to subscribe to their newsletter visit liveandlocal.org.uk
Remaining Shows in Lincolnshire
Sat 5th April, 7:39pm
AWOL
Swayfield Village Hall, Corby Road, NG33 4LQ
Fri 11th April, 7:30pm
Four Hands and a Horn
Tennyson d’Eyncourt Memorial Hall, Tealby, 2 Beck Hill, LN8 3XU
Fri 11th April, 7:30pm
Mettle
Caistor Town Hall, North Street, LN7 6QU
Sun 13TH April, 7:30pm
Old Spot - Appalachian Fiddle and Banjo Duo
Ropsley Village Hall, Braceby Road, NG33 4BN
Thurs 24th April, 7:3pm
Just Like That! The Tommy Cooper Show
Embassy Theatre, Skegness, Grand Parade, PE25 2UG
Fri 25th April, 7:30pm
Flatworld in Concert
All Saints Church, Holbeach, 5 Church Lane, PE12 7LL
Sat 26th April, 7:30pm
Behold Ye Ramblers
Nettleham Village Hall, Brookfield Avenue, LN2 2SS
Sat 26th April, 8pm
An Evening with the 309s
Greatford Village Hall
Carlby Road, PE9 4PR
Fri 9th May, 7:30pm
Learning to Fly
Market House, Long Sutton, Market Street, PE12 9DD
Sat 10th May, 8pm
Cri du Canard
Digby War Memorial Hall, North Street, LN4 3LY
Sun 11th May, 7pm
Cri du Canard
Barrowby Memorial Hall, High Road, NG32 1BH
Friday 23rd May, 7:30pm
Watson: The Final Problem
Glentworth Village Hall, 26 Church Street, DN21 5DE
Friday 30th May, 7:30pm
How to Survive and Thrive in an Impossible World - with a piano!
Scamblesby Village Hall, South Street, LN11 9XF
Friday 30th May, 7:30pm
Mettle
All Saints Church, Holbeach, 5 Church Lane, PE12 7LL
Sun 1st June, 2:30pm
The Witch and the Egg
Embassy Theatre, Skegness, Grand Parade, PE25 2UG
Lincolnshire Promoter Recruitment Appeal
Live & Local are currently recruiting more promoter groups in East Lindsey and North Kesteven. If you want to create a great night out on your doorstep, all you need is a community venue and some enthusiastic volunteers. Live & Local’s funding means that performances are subsidised and that there is little or no financial risk to community promoter groups. If you are interested in finding out more about bringing performances to your area, please contact community@liveandlocal.org.uk