Noson Allan - Night Out
The Arts Council of Wales' Night Out scheme works with communities around Wales to bring performing arts to local halls and community venues.
The objectives of the Night Out scheme are:
To enable local community organisations generally outside the arts infrastructure to promote high quality small scale performance events
To provide advice, information, development and training opportunities and encourage best practice
To promote an increased understanding of the value of community touring
To promote high quality performances and provide opportunities for artists and performers to reach communities throughout Wales
To encourage new work, touring opportunities and partnerships both locally and internationally, ensuring artists receive proper fees for their work
To work to build and create new audiences for the performing arts
To Strengthen Communities through live performing arts
Who can apply
By providing funding guarantees, Night Out helps around 350 different groups in Wales each year, to put on over 500 shows.
The Arts Council of Wales' Night Out scheme works in partnership with the local authorities to help groups of volunteers across Wales to bring the arts to the heart of their communities. Each year close to 600 shows are booked through the scheme by nearly 350 different community groups.
Community groups (known as Promoters) can choose from a huge range of great professional performers and put them on in community or village halls and other non-traditional venues across the country.
It's simple and easy to use and works by taking away the financial risk for the community group of booking the artist.
Restrictions
(a) WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PROMOTE EVENTS ?
Any bona-fide non-commercial community organisation that can provide a venue may apply to promote events under the scheme. Well-established organisations set up for the purpose of promoting arts events may be expected in the first instance to explore whether other Arts Council of Wales sources of direct support are more suited to their needs, and we reserve the right to divert such organisations to other schemes if it judges this appropriate.
Educational establishments and clubs can establish eligibility by demonstrating that they are mounting a performance for the benefit of a wider audience than their pupils, students and / or members. Political parties or campaigns are excluded.
If a performance venue is under the direct control of a local authority or receives programming money from Arts Council of Wales it is not eligible to apply to the Night Out Scheme or to host Night Out funded performances. Local authority community halls may use the scheme though the ethos is that demand should come from local community groups.
PROMOTERS’ CRITERIA
The organisation must be properly accountable, be able to provide adequate premises for the performance chosen, and undertake a degree of basic organisation. The scheme requires the use of venues that can offer suitable access to disabled people. However, it also seeks to serve the most isolated and / or disadvantaged communities. Promoters whose venue has inadequate access facilities must demonstrate that there is no other more accessible building available in the neighbourhood that can attract the target audience.
(b) WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PERFORM ?
Any performing arts company or individual performing artist providing a professional level of service can offer their work to the scheme. They will be accepted subject to their being selected by an eligible promoter and satisfying the Head of Night Out that they fit the criteria below.
PERFORMERS’ CRITERIA
• The technical suitability of the productions for the community venue or venues concerned;
• The ability of the performers to provide an artistic event appropriate to the circumstances in the venue or venues in question;
• Professional standards of production.
• Agreement with the Head of Night Out on costs;
• In no circumstances will Night Out support events promoted directly by the performers themselves.
• Choirs, Pantomimes and tribute acts are not generally supported under Night Out
Subject to the above, the extent of tours is determined by the level of demand from promoters.
CONDITIONS
The obligations of all parties to one another are described in a Night Out document “Terms of Agreement “available on request. Acceptance of engagements implies acceptance of these terms. Requests that comply with these terms are supported subject to the availability of funds available to the Night Out. Promoters and performers are each required to submit a simple report form after each event. The fees payable to the company must be agreed before any booking under the scheme can be confirmed. Such fees are payable after the event once the performer’s invoice and report form has been submitted.
How to apply
Night Out is operated by a small team located within the Arts Council of Wales’ Central Office in Cardiff.
Applications can be made via the Night Out website www.nightout.org.uk or on a Night Out Booking Form sent to the office enquiry@nightout.org.uk