Rethinking international touring with environmental responsibility
The International Touring and Environmental Responsibility (ITER) programme supports artists and cultural organisations in England, Denmark and Norway to build more sustainable, inclusive models for touring.
Designed and delivered by Julie’s Bicycle in partnership with Arts Council England, Arts Council Norway, and the Danish Arts Foundation, ITER enables deep collaboration and learning across borders—and across disciplines.
4
Programme years delivered
83
Participants to date
3
Countries collaborating
Growing
Network for sustainable touring
About the programme
ITER is designed for touring companies, venues and performing arts practitioners looking to explore how international work can evolve in the face of climate, equity and access challenges.
Each edition of the programme includes:
- A call for applications and selection process
- A series of interactive online seminars and peer sessions
- Development and testing of new ideas for sustainable touring
- A chance to access funding or strategic support
In 2025–26, the programme offers two parallel streams:
- Beginner programme – an introduction to sustainable touring principles.
- Changemakers programme – for those further along in their practice and ready to lead new models.
This year’s edition will be delivered by Julie’s Bicycle in collaboration with Copenhagen-based consultancy in futurum.
Our past cohorts’ impact
Since 2022, over 80 artists and organisations have taken part in ITER. Together, they are leading the shift toward more responsible touring practices.
2022 Cohort – Piloting new approaches to environmental responsibility
Three UK–Denmark partnerships tested new approaches to sustainable touring through workshops, research, and hybrid collaborations.
Learn more
2023 Cohort – Deep touring model for dance
A collaboration exploring low-emission touring, local engagement and co-creation as alternatives to traditional fly-in-fly-out models.
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2024 Cohort – Creative experiments in sustainable touring
Five new projects spanning dance, music, design and sound art have developed bold low-impact approaches to international collaboration.
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2025 Cohort – Regenerative approaches to international touring
Three new projects spanning performance, artistic exchange and strategic operational knowledge sharing
Learn more
How to apply
Applications for the 2025–26 International Touring and Environmental Responsibility (ITER) programme are now closed.
If you are interested in future opportunities to take part, you can sign up to our newsletter to be notified when the next call opens.
case studies and examples
- Case study: Deep Touring Model for Dance: Pavilion Dance South West and Aarhus Festival ask: Can we reframe environmental responsibility and justice as drivers for creative choices rather than limitations?
- Project: Eliot Smith Dance (ESD) continue their collaboration with Danish-based composer and sound artist Liv Vester Larsen (ITER Cohort 3), which began with COALFIELD to LANDSCAPE – the next part of their project, Merging took place in Denmark in August 2025.
- 2025 Copenhagen knowledge-sharing event: CPH Stage (Copenhagen) and LIFT (London) share their research project exploring sustainable methods of festival budgeting and resourcing in this1.5 hour knowledge-sharing event and panel recording.
- Case study: ITER 2025 participant Tom Bailey of Mechanimalreflects on a 1,600 km low-impact walking tour that reconnects art, ancestry, and environmental responsibility, asking what touring can learn from hunter-gatherer relationships with nature.
- Case study: ITER 2025 participants Nutkhut explores how international collaboration and small habit changes can shape more sustainable and responsible touring, grounded in the British South-Asian cultural experience.
- Reflections: How can international touring become more sustainable? ITER 2025 participant Gulli Sekse reflects on regenerative touring models, ecological thinking and new approaches to environmental responsibility in the performing arts.
2025 – How can we dream differently about touring in a time of climate crisis?
JB, in collaboration with in futurum, and cultural practitioners from the UK, Danish and Norwegian arts sectors, teamed up for a panel discussion and workshop at Manchester International Festival 2025 to discuss sustainable approaches to mobility, cultural exchange and global touring.