Guides

With the support of the European Commission through the European Lifelong Learning Programme, 8 circus schools, members of the CARAVAN association and 2 universities have put their energy together during five years to produce the Guidebook for Social Circus Trainers.

It is a unique document setting the minimum competences of a social circus trainer and giving methodological propositions on how to teach these competences. It is the basis of the 1st European training programme for social circus trainers.

Context – Social Circus

Social circus is an innovative tool for education and social inclusion of children, young people and adults with fewer opportunities. Targeting specific schools, neighbourhoods and public from disadvantaged urban areas, social circus is also an intercultural tool favouring community links between participants, raising their self-esteem and confidence, improving their physical literacy and developing their life skills. This has led to the creation of a new profession: social circus trainer. 

Methodology

The project is based on a bottom up methodology seeking to take into account partner’s local contexts. The definition of the competences of social circus resulted from a 2-year field observation carried out by Caravan between 2009 and 2011. Months of observation, analysis, meetings, discussions, essays, exchanges, trainings and the development of a framework of competences for social circus trainers, have led to the creation of a common European curriculum. This gave birth to the Guidebook for Social Circus Trainers.

The Guidebook is divided into 5 main chapters:

• Teaching Learning Unit A – Social Context
• Teaching Learning Unit B – The Act of Teaching
• Teaching Learning Unit C – Management / Steering of Teaching
• Teaching Learning Unit D – Creativity and Circus Techniques
• Teaching Learning Unit E – Foundations  

European cooperation projects in the field of circus and street arts have multiplied in recent years. This recent trend shows the desire of cultural actors to work together on a European level and to invest in solid and sustainable partnerships.

Circostrada Network presents the projects taking place in 2012 within the European Union. The aim is to help the sectors to better identify ongoing networks and projects, to promote the opportunities offered to professionals in the street and circus arts, as well as to highlight the various community supports.

The diversity of the projects supported shows both the vitality of our sectors and their needs, but also highlights their commitment to contributing to the objectives of the European Union. 

Circostrada Network offers the third online publication in the series of guides dedicated to artistic residencies specialising in street arts and circus, or hosting artists from these sectors.

After the guides dedicated to Belgium and France, this publication provides a list of practical information about the venues listed in the United Kingdom.

It includes detailed descriptions of residency venues classified by geographical area, in order to raise awareness of existing opportunities, professionalise artistic practices and encourage international mobility.

Kejos - centre of support of artistic and research initiatives (Wroclaw, Poland) - publishes in partnership with Circostrada Network the 2015 guide about New Circus and Art in Public Space in Poland.

The Guide is an attempt to summarize the last decade of the modern Polish circus and gather information about the current landscape of circus and street art.

Coordinated by Marta Kuczyńska, initiator of Kejos, this guide aims to contribute to the popularization of national artists, producers, educators and their projects as well as help in the development and recognition of outdoor theatre and circus as an art form in Poland.