The Touring Consortium Theatre Company will receive more than £1 million of the £2.6 million available from the fourth round of Arts Council England’s touring funding.

This is the largest sum of money that has ever been granted as part of ACE’s programme that aims to bring shows to areas with limited access to the arts.

The consortium, which works with seven regional theatres, will use the funding to create a three-year large scale touring programme that will see five shows co-produced with York Theatre Royal and Royal and Derngate Northampton. A digital programme will be delivered by Pilot Theatre Company.

A total of five organisations have been successful in the latest stage of ACE’s strategic touring programme.

The Dance Touring Partnership will receive almost £1 million for its two-year regional project beginning in 2013, while Rural Arts North Yorkshire will use around £140,000 to set up collaborations between young people and professional performance companies to create new pieces.

Meanwhile, art network Multistory has been awarded more than £300,000 and Chrysalis Arts Development will receive around £90,000. Both will use the money for touring exhibitions in photography and art respectively.