Organizer Information
The International Touring & Environmental Responsibility programme (ITER) is designed and delivered by Julie's Bicycle, a UK-based environmental charity that has worked with the cultural sector on climate action since a founding period that has grown to include Creative Green certification, international partnerships, and a longstanding programme with Arts Council England making environmental reporting part of funding agreements. Julie's Bicycle and Arts Council England have built a partnership spanning 12 years supporting creative and cultural organisations to act on environmental responsibility. The programme is co-delivered with the Danish organisation In futurum. ITER is jointly initiated and financed by Arts Council England, Arts Council Norway, Creative Scotland, and the Danish Arts Foundation. Arts Council Norway (Norsk kulturråd) is Norway's official arts council, based in Oslo and established in 1965 following a parliamentary decision, administering funding across performing and visual arts, music, and other cultural fields. The Danish Arts Foundation (Statens Kunstfond) is Denmark's principal government-funded arts foundation, established by law in 1964. Creative Scotland is Scotland's national development agency for culture and the creative sector, funded by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery, and joins ITER as a partner for the first time in 2026.
Title & Description
International Touring & Environmental Responsibility Programme 2026 (ITER)
Now in its fifth year, ITER is an open call for arts organisations and individuals to take part in developing sustainable, inclusive, and just models for international touring. The programme invites participants to rethink their approach to touring through free online seminars, networking opportunities, and access to project funding of up to £30,000. ITER fosters relationships between artists and companies based in England, Denmark, Scotland, and Norway, supporting them to develop new, environmentally responsible, inclusive, and equitable approaches to international touring and collaboration together. For 2026, the programme is joined by Scotland for the first time.
Categories
- Environment
- Theatre
- Dance
- Sound/Music
- Performance
- Multiple Disciplines
Eligibility
- Open to venues, organisers, touring companies, and individuals from the performing arts sector, including dance, music, and theatre
- Based in England, Scotland, Norway, or Denmark
- Includes: music or theatre venues that receive touring organisations, festivals, orchestras, theatre companies, solo artists/performers/musicians, performing arts producers, and multidisciplinary arts organisations
- Applicants should have a creative vision and a willingness to advance sustainable touring practices beyond only travel or carbon considerations
- Must be committed to developing innovative approaches to environmental responsibility in touring
- Must be keen to collaborate internationally and centre environmentally-focused partnerships
- A significant time commitment is required to benefit fully from the programme
- Phase two funding (up to £30,000) requires collaborating in groups of three or more, following completion of the seminar programme
Program Benefits & Awards
- Free online seminars (Pathfinders and Changemakers tracks)
- Networking opportunities, including a new alumni network for longer-term cross-country collaboration
- Access to project funding of up to £30,000 for groups of three or more following the seminar programme
- Free 30-minute online drop-in sessions for interested applicants to ask questions
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Pathfinders/Changemakers Plenary (both cohorts): 1 October 2026
- Application Deadline: 10 December 2026
- Networking session (both cohorts): 6 October 2026
- Pathfinders sessions: 13 October – 1 December 2026 (Sessions 1–7)
- Changemakers sessions: Thursdays, 15 October – 3 December 2026 (Sessions 1–6)
- Final Plenary (both cohorts): Thursday 10 December 2026
- Phase two funding application window: 6 November 2026 – 11 January 2027
- Funded projects expected to begin: Spring 2027
- Online drop-in information sessions: 7 July 2026; Tuesday 18 August 2026
Location
England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway
Additional Details
- Up to 60 places are available across both the Pathfinder and Changemaker programmes combined
- Pathfinders is designed for those new to environmentally responsible, socially conscious touring; Changemakers is for those who have already taken initial steps and are ready to lead on new models of change
- Applications are shortlisted by the Danish Arts Foundation, Arts Council Norway, Creative Scotland, and Arts Council England, with a final decision panel including representatives from all four bodies plus Julie's Bicycle
- Assessment criteria include: artistic quality of the applicant's work, scale of practice, experience of international touring and collaboration, perceived impact of programme participation on touring practice, demonstrated interest in embedding sustainability, and the spread of art-form and geography across the cohort
- Further questions can be directed to: environmentaltouring@artscouncil.org.uk