Building a Touring Circuit in your Region
The How To....
Many artists are loving the creative pursuit of building their own touring circuit - both soundtrackers and emerging original. Putting those creative juices to work in the spirit of Dave Grohl who said it best:
“No one is going to give you a map. You have to make your own path.” (Rolling Stone, 2014)
In this market, the artists who stay busy are the ones who proactively carving their own pathways. And we love this!
It’s 2025. Venues are cautious with budgets. Audiences have choices. Costs are up everywhere. So the pros are doing the work creating routes, relationships, and reputations.
And you can too.
Instead of just wanting to play the pub down the street, maybe start thinking like a small business owner planning new distribution channels by mapping your region and getting to know new terrain.
✅ What towns or suburbs are within 2 hours’ drive?
✅ Where are the next major regional centres?
✅ What are their local economies like?
✅ How many venues book live music regularly?
✅ What nights do they typically run music?
Make a map. Literally.Pin the venues. Research their social media. Look at their lineups.See who they book, when, for how much. Knowledge isn’t just power—it’s money.
And it’s not abstract. The Australia Council’s 2023 Domestic Touring Research shows 70% of regional venues report strong demand for live acts post-COVID.
These venues want music. They just want you to turn up prepared.
(Australia Council for the Arts, 2023)
Amanda Palmer nailed this when she talks on how to build relationships with the market:
“The only thing that works is making your own scene. Don’t wait for the gatekeepers.” (The Art of Asking, 2014)
House Bookers are attracted to acts they know and trust.
✅ Visit the venues. Buy a drink. Watch a set.
✅ Introduce yourself to the House Bookers respectfully.
✅ Show genuine interest in the Venue business.
✅ Don’t launch into a sales pitch immediately.
✅ Ask questions about what they want from artists.
This isn’t hustling. It’s about building better business for everyone - the local community, local artists, the house bookers and the local bars and clubs. It's about an offer to partner on creating something new together.
Start here to plan Weekenders and Mini Tours:
✅ Pick a cluster of towns or suburbs that make sense.
✅ Avoid huge backtracking (fuel is money).
✅ Make sure the nights you pick are realistic (Thursday–Saturday is classic).
✅ Negotiate with multiple House Bookers at once.
A Friday in Town A + Saturday in Town B = a weekend tour. Small? Yes.But sustainable.And repeatable.
Next step is to know your costs before you agree to anything:
✅ Fuel or car hire.
✅ Accommodation (can you share? Stay with mates?).
✅ Food.
✅ Band wages.
✅ Equipment maintenance.
Build these into your fee structure. If you’re not making money (or at least breaking even with a plan to profit over time), you’re not touring—you’re bleeding.
Marketing across the region, towns, communities and local businesses is key:
✅ Have a social media schedule.
✅ Post about upcoming shows in each town.
✅ Run local Facebook/Instagram ads if you can.
✅ Engage with local community groups online.
✅ Offer local media an interview or a story.
Give locals something different to look forward to! They’ll show up. :-)
APRA AMCOS’ Live Music Report 2023 underlines this perfectly:
“Regional and suburban gigs are outpacing inner-city growth post-pandemic, with venues investing in local and touring talent to drive community engagement and F&B revenue.”
(APRA AMCOS, 2023)
There’s demand. Meet it. 🙂
Leverage local Media and Community Pages. Offer regional journalists something interesting to talk about!
✅ Local newspapers love a touring artist angle.
✅ Community radio is accessible and often free.
✅ Facebook groups are full of locals looking for things to do.
Craft a simple, compelling pitch to invite the local community along.
When you do this right, something magical happens:
✅ Bookers start contacting you.
✅ You develop loyal followings in multiple towns.
✅ You command higher fees because you’re a known quantity.
✅ You become the safe bet for Venues and Promoters.
You’re not waiting to be “found.” You’re proving you’re worth booking.
Henry Rollins says it best:
“Don’t wait for permission. Just go. The only way to get there is to start driving.” (Henry Rollins spoken word)
Literally and metaphorically.
And this isn’t just rock’n’roll philosophy.
The Australian Live Music Census 2023 shows touring circuits aren’t just for artists—they’re vital for the venues, communities, and economies that host them.
“Touring circuits in regional Australia contribute significantly to local economies—direct and indirect spending, hospitality recovery, tourism.”
(Live Music Office, 2023)
When you build your circuit, you’re not just helping yourself.
You’re fuelling local hospitality. You’re helping these towns recover.
You’re creating a culture that sustains everyone.
Australia needs live music to thrive. Regional venues seek out Music Brands who can move their patrons, fill rooms and bring something a little extra to their patrons and customers.
Not going to lie - building a touring circuit is hard work. It’s unglamorous. It’s strategic. It’s a grind. But it’s also the path to independence, sustainability, and respect in the industry. You’re not waiting to be discovered. You’re proving you’re worth discovering. So get out the map. Do the work. And make it happen.
SOURCES CITED
Australia Council Domestic Touring Research 2023 https://creative.gov.au/research/domestic-touring-research-2023/
APRA AMCOS Live Music Report 2023 https://www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/research
Australian Live Music Census 2023 https://livemusicoffice.com.au/research/
Written by Nichola Burton. I work in partnership with Agents, Artist Managers and Event Producers, who juggle a diverse range of relationships in the Musoverse, to curate, manage and measure data in systems, experience, creative and content to support the entire Musoverse operation in my enterprise A Little Pitchy Copyright 2025
