NI artists have a fresh shot at touring support, with the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) confirming that Phase Two of the UK Artist Touring (UKAT) fund opens for applications on Wednesday, 26th August.

The scheme, backed by the LIVE Trust – which redistributes £1 donations collected from tickets sold at shows of 5,000 capacity and above – proved its worth in Phase One, supporting 26 artists across 211 shows in every UK nation. Demand outstripped supply significantly: the combined touring shortfall across all applications came to £2.4m, underlining just how unsustainable the economics of touring have become for working musicians.

Phase Two ups the ante. FAC will distribute the proceeds of a £300,000 grant from the LIVE Trust, with the maximum individual award rising from previous levels to £8,000. Working with the Musicians’ Union and Music Managers Forum, FAC has refined the fund based on feedback from Phase One applicants, opening up eligibility in three key ways:

  • Support slots and festival appearances are now fundable alongside headline shows
  • Unconfirmed or pencilled shows can be included in applications, not just confirmed dates
  • Grant ceiling increases to £8,000 per successful application

UKAT remains open to artists of all genres, backgrounds and regions across the UK, so Northern Irish acts planning tours, support runs or festival circuits should take note. FAC CEO David Martin is encouraging eligible artists to apply directly and is asking the wider industry to help spread the word.

Full details and the application portal will go live on FAC’s hub when the fund opens, and a free FAC 101 information session is being run on Tuesday, 25th August for anyone who wants to understand the process before applying.

Watch this space for the application link once UKAT Phase Two officially opens.