This November marks the start of our 30th year of bringing touring shows to communities across Lancashire.
Over the next 30 days, we’ll be sharing some of our favourite moments from the past three decades — stories, interviews, and even songs — celebrating the incredible people and performances that have shaped Spot On.
Join us as we look back, share memories, and celebrate 30 years of Spot On in Lancashire!

 

Day 21

Sometimes, something comes along that’s so exciting, so unusual or just simply so plain daft that we decide to make it happen. Back of the Bus was one of those projects.

After seeing New Zealand Dance Company perform Back of the Bus at the Edinburgh Festival, and hearing they were interested in UK tours, we couldn’t resist trying to bring them to Lancashire. ‘Back of the Bus’ is a dance show that happens on the top deck of a bus, and has been to New Zealand, Australia, Edinburgh and now Lancashire, picking up brilliant reviews along the way.

Read our Java Dance story

 

Day 20

On 20th November 1995, Rejects Revenge opened up the first ever Spot On Rural Touring season with a 6 night run of Crumble to communities in Eccleston, Hurst Green, Gregson Lane, Glasson Dock, Parbold and Churchtown.

We were delighted to be able to make contact with the members of the company who kindly sent us a letter full of great stories and memories.

Download our letter from Rejects Revenge

 

Day 19

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain played one of Spot On’s most remembered gigs at Melling Village hall nr Lancaster on Friday 16th May 2003. The gig was remembered by Heather Fox in her interview which we shared earlier this month.

We got in touch with them and they very kindly sent us a letter and video birthday message.

We’d love to welcome the Orchestra back any time but we may need a considerably bigger venue!

Hello from the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Day 18

Drawing all over Lancashire
We document, celebrate and record our work in many ways- though interviews, surveys, video and photography. For many years now, we have been collaborating with artist and illustrator Cath Ford.

We have given Cath her own day to talk about her work herself, and share some of her images. Cath has also, quietly and diligently been the person who has been publishing our Spot On 30 daily treats for us on our social media platforms.

Download our Cath Ford Day article

 

Day 17

In 2020, we commissioned Elliot Flanagan to produce a film.

‘Monument’ poignantly celebrates Spot On’s role in rural Lancashire. Created from archive photos, interviews and footage taken during Elliot’s daily lockdown rural walks, Monument is an homage to a precious thing that will no longer be taken for granted – the shared experience of watching a live Spot On show.

‘Monument’ was projected on to Blackburn Town Hall over New Year 2021.

 

Day 16

During COVID, when we couldn’t bring live performing arts to Lancashire, we decided to convert our normal season brochures into AT HOME newspapers.

We produced two of these full of interviews and things to do at home.

Download Issue 1: Spot-On-At-Home 1

Download Issue 2: Spot On At Home 2

 

Day 15

Spot On, alongside our northern partners, started hosting Canadian performers through a partnership with Atlantic Presenters Association in 2001. So far we’ve hosted 37 companies (some have returned to tour again in later seasons). That’s 131 performances in Lancashire!

To this day we still have conversations with audience members who fondly remember those very first shows and ask us if we can get those artists back. Well, keep your eyes peeled for some returns in the coming seasons!

We’ve pulled together a playlist with an example for every music offering we’ve hosted. We’re sure the CDs of these performers are still sitting in the glove boxes of cars up and down the county. There are some great tunes in there!

Click on the link to listen: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdRApzar-M_LQgDwcmLXm02Eo0S-d10_z&si=qydDRMycpETZ7kuC

Day 14

Spot On, together with our wonderful northern partners, and colleagues in the south west, has been fortunate to be able to attend showcases in Maritime Canada through the excellent Contact East showcasing programme. This has enabled us to see, select, and ultimately tour fantastically high quality Canadian companies to our rural communities. In 2001 with Barachois organised by Get Moving and Gail Ferrin, the schemes have over the years collectively toured over 30 companies to communities right across the country.

The memories are numerous- relationships developed, beer drunk, villages discovered, babies produced. Our audiences and promoters absolutely value not just the talent but also the recognition which a touring company from Canada brings to their rural community. Some of the best nights out on our networks have been provided by Canadian musicians and artists.

To celebrate our 30 years, we contacted companies we’ve toured and invited them to send us a birthday message.

With immense gratitude to Laurie Gillis and the Atlantic Presenters Association for their ongoing support and collaboration in making these tours viable. Also we recognise Canadian Heritage and all the Provincial arts funders who support the artists’ touring costs, so making these international tours affordable to our small rural venues.

Download our Oh Canada article

 

 

Day 13

Spot On has collaborated with its wonderful northern touring partners almost from the beginning. We do this to share ideas, support each other and maximise opportunities for artists and communities. Here we celebrate some of those joint projects which have brought new shows and stories to rural communities across the north of England. Each project may have been designed and led by a different northern partner, but we, our promoters and our audiences all benefitted. 

Read our Stronger Together article

Day 12

Visions of Hildegard by Horse & Bamboo Theatre Company toured in our first season in 1995. We spoke to Esther Ferry-Kennington of Horse & Bamboo about Spot On and Horse and Bamboo’s parallel journeys.
……………………………………

Visions of Hildegard, the show that Spot On took to Whalley and Kirkham all those years ago, was about a German nun, Hildegard of Bingen, an incredible composer, poet and botanist who embraced creativity not as singular practices but as a way to face the world.

‘We cannot live in a world interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a hope. Part of the terror is to take back our listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light’ Hildegard of Bingen

Download the article from Horse & Bamboo

Day 11

We interviewed two of our Spot On promoters to find out what it’s like bringing Spot On shows to their communities.

Seamus Heffernan is an independent music promoter who has hosted events within Mellor Brook Community Centre for over 21 years. The centre has a reputation for teaming live music with real ale, but through Spot On, the committee have forged a broader programme catering for a wider audience.

Ann Whitaker is Manager of The Rainhall Centre, a multipurpose business centre situated in the heart of Barnoldswick. The centre, a former school, has a number of rented office spaces alongside a front facing community hub – hosting a bank, NHS medical services, weekly community bookings and a seasonal theatre programme.

Download Our Promoters Article

Day 10

Spot On has collaborated with its wonderful northern touring partners almost from the beginning. We do this to share ideas, support each other and maximise opportunities. Dance Across the North is such an example. Lead by our Yorkshire colleagues, Blaize, this touring project brought fabulous dance to venues across the north of England, including Lancashire. Here, Balbir Singh company explain why they do what they do.

Download our interview with Balbir Singh

 

 

Day 9

During the Covid pandemic lockdown we curated short films which we titled ‘Spot On Shorts’. Delve into our collection, there’s something for everyone!

 

Day 8

Over the decades, Spot On has been lucky enough to commission shows and new writing. We love doing this—creating work for talented artists and bringing new stories to life for tours not only for Lancashire audiences but across the UK.

Miss Nobodies was one of them.
Supported by Arts Council England.
With grateful thanks to Mid Pennine Arts for bringing Ethel Carnie Holdsworth to our attention.

Download more information about Miss Nobodies

 

 

Day 7

Stephen Caton, owner of Lancashire-based design agency, Source Creative, has been working with Spot On since 2000.

In this film he reminisces about Spot On’s design history over 30 years.

 

 

DAY 6

2012 saw the last Preston Guild, a huge celebration which comes around every twenty years.
Drawing on the history of the Guild, when traders came in from distant parts to trade and celebrate, Spot On collaborated with Dutch location theatre company, PeerGroup, to produce From Stephen to Avenham.

We are so delighted to have kept in touch with Dutch theatre maker, Sjoerd, who has sent us a video message.

Click here to read about Preston Guild

 

DAY 5

Hit the North is a short film created by Matt Wilkinson and commissioned by Spot On and a group of young librarians in 2019.

Experience the joy of the diverse voices and dialects of Lancashire.

DAY 4
Glasson Dock first hosted a Spot On show in 1995.

There has been a gap, but we are looking forward to welcoming them back to the family in Spring ‘26. We are thrilled that our new promoter in Glasson will be Kate Howden, who, as part of howdenjones, has years of experience on the rural touring circuit, including many performances in Lancashire.

Kate describes her journey from performer to promoter, celebrating rural touring and her beloved community.

Click to download Kate Howden article

DAY 3

Heather Fox has been a friend of Spot On since day one, serving as an arts officer in Ribble Valley, Wyre, and later with Lancashire County Council. Her sister was also a promoter in our very first season. Heather is currently Lancashire’s Libraries and Heritage Manager.

We met up with Heather, surrounded by our archive of past brochures and posters and reminisced about thirty years of shows.

You can listen to the full conversation (about ten minutes) here:

 

DAY 2
To celebrate three decades of incredible music and musicians, we’ve put together a playlist featuring just some of the performers who’ve played in village halls and libraries across the county.

We thought about tagging them all, but there are 114 and that might take another 30 years!

https://tinyurl.com/SpotOn30Playlist

 

DAY 1

To begin the month we invited Matthew Linley, Chair of the National Rural Touring Forum, to share his thoughts on the impact of Spot On’s work and the future potential of arts in rural spaces.

Matthew Linley on 30 years of Rural Touring