Contemporary circus

This publication is the result of a meeting entitled Where Dance Meets Circus, which was hosted on 27th January 2017 by the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, centre of academic and performance excellence housed at the University of Limerick, in partnership with ISACS and the MA in Festive Arts. 

This event was an opportunity to gather choreographers, performers, programmers, researchers and policy makers, among others, to explore where one art form crosses into another, and how this is articulated. The aim was to provide examples of practice, provocation, and above all a space to discuss and debate the fundamental di erences and similarities of these art forms, while considering how each can learn from and support the other to further develop the conversation. 

Sheila Creevey, Head of Performance, Pavillon Dance South West, Bournemouth (UK) was in charge of facilitating the meeting and writing the synthesis. 

Table of contents:

• Setting the stage
• Creating a shared space for discussion 

• Achieving a better mutual understanding and finding new ways of working together 

• Interconnected art forms 
• Aerial dance: a hybrid discipline at the crossroads of circus and dance seeking recognition and acceptance 

• Zoom in: Aerial Dance 

• The key role of infrastructures and resources in art form development 

• Dance and Circus across the world 

• How the body and object relate to one another 

• Mutual influences 

• Festivals as breeding grounds for the emergence of new opportunities and experimental work 

• Closing words

You can read the publication also on Issuu. 

The Austrian magazine "IG Kultur" is published twice a year. Every edition tackling a different cultural-political theme, it aims to promote the importance of cultural work and its potential to change society.

"HeuteZirkusMorgen" adresses the phenomenon called "New Circus". The magazine gives insights into current developments of the Austrian circus sector, articulates future perspectives and challenges, and contextualizes the notion of "New Circus" theoretically.

The magazine is a product of a collaboration between the cultural advocacy network IG Kultur Österreich and the association KreativKultur.

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  

Since 2011, Circostrada Network, HorsLesMurs and Circo Circolo have been organising seminars to reflect on the integration of circus arts within European Capital of Culture programmes. A first publication was produced in 2013 to highlight their findings.

Following the fourth conference that took place during the Biennale Internationale des Arts du Cirque in Marseille (France), the network produces a new publication, presenting additional findings and examples to better understand the challenges and potential of circus arts within ECoCs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

Setting the stage

• What is the programme of European Capitals of Culture?
• Programme changes for the 2020-2033 period

Circus Arts and European Capitals of Culture: Fundamental Lessons

• Value of Circus Arts in a European Capital of Culture
• Successfully performing and assessing a circus programme within a European Capital of Culture: key steps and considerations

Relationships between Circus and Territories: Examples of Best Practices

• Marseille, France: Ensuring a long-term future - From Cirque en Capitales in Marseille-Provence 2013 to the International Biennial of Circus Arts – Marseille Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur
• Umeå, Sweden: Circus in the Baltic! The emergence of Nycirkusfestival in Umeå 2014
• London, United Kingdom: Piccadilly Circus Circus - A circus like no other! An extraordinary event as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad
• Pilsen, Czech Republic: Circus culture in Pilsen 2015. The New Circus Season, one of the Capital’s flagship projects
• Looking forward to future European Capitals of Culture: Åarhus 2017 and Leeuwarden - Fryslân 2018

Perspectives / Points of View 

• Training and creation, a key relationship for the development of circus policy in ECoCs. Interview with Wim Claessen
• Cultural action without borders: cultural diplomacy in Europe. Gérald Drubigny shares his thoughts

As part of the Spring Festival and in cooperation with the Rencontre Cirque organised by Onda - Office National de Diffusion Artistique, Circostrada Network, HorsLesMurs and La Brèche – Pôle National des Arts du Cirque de Basse-Normandie/Cherbourg-Octeville, organised the first Focus Meeting on 20 March 2015.

The meeting looked at new relationships between circus arts and music and provided the opportunity to examine how these forms of artistic expression are cultivated through their interaction within the circus environment. 

With:​​

• Angela Laurier, acrobat, director (Compagnie Angela Laurier)
• Marine Mane, writer, director (Compagnie In vitro)
• Christophe Ruetsch, composer
• Nicolas Mathis, director, juggler (Collectif Petit travers)
• Roland Auzet, writer, composer, director (Compagnie Act Opus)
• Alexander Vantournhout, acrobat, director
• Moderator : Charlotte Lipinska, journalist 

This publication, written by Charlotte Lipinska, summarizes the main conclusions of this meeting. 

Table of contents

• The Creative Process
• Aesthetics
• Music at the Heart of Creation
• Musical Training for Circus Performers 

This publication is the result of the meeting entitled "Cooperation and Social and Solidarity Economy in the Performing Arts: A Concrete Process", held during the Circostrada Network General Meeting in Paris from 14 to 16 October 2014.

Co-organised by the Coopérative De Rue et De Cirque and the UFISC (Union Fédérale d’Intervention des Structures Culturelles), in partnership with the City of Paris, this meeting is part of a process of reflection on the economic and social models led by Circostrada. ​

Edito 

As territorial dynamics are being rewritten and social and cultural practices are changing in an increasingly European and globalised context, artistic and cultural projects are developing new cooperative approaches. These diverse initiatives help defend cultural diversity and fundamental rights. New partnership schemes are emerging in an effort to pursue a social and solidarity economy model. These include non-profit collectives, territorial economic cooperation clusters and cooperatives. These movements are working to define other forms of action, with cultural issues seen as a public-interest focus.

What kinds of partnerships can be developed with local stakeholders (universities, public authorities, businesses, social actors, etc.) and citizens? What kind of social and cultural economy can be built in today’s European context?

Table of contents

The Role of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) and Social Innovation in the European Agenda, by Laurent FRAISSE, associate member of the Lise laboratory, researcher at CRIDA and founding member of the LABO de l’ESS (Social and Solidarity Economy laboratory)

• The difficult task of developing a European social and solidarity economy agenda
• Local initiatives pointing to a plural economy
• Why are there so many different concepts across Europe?
• National recognition of the social and solidarity economy unparalleled at the European level
• How can SSE be promoted within the European framework?
• Examples of European agendas to be considered for SSE

Experiences

• La Zinneke Parade, by Myriam Stoffen (Brussels, Belgium)
• La Fabrique des Impossibles, by Mélanie Fioleau (Paris, France)
• The Territorial Economic Cooperation Cluster “Culture & Coopération” by Sopie-Bulle Texier, Vice-President (Saint-Etienne, France)
• The circus collective «Galapiat», by Alain Seradin (Brittany, France)

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. 

Because one of our objectives is to better understand these sectors, Circostrada Network wanted to use the 2006 qualitative study “Circulation of circus and street artworks in Europe” and the indicators established then, to evaluate the impacts of the world economic crisis on our sectors.

Like other networks and international organisations, we hear every week terrible stories of grassroots organizations being forced to downsize or even close down their activity. We wished to update the previous sample survey, by comparing the figures collected for the financial year 2006 with the ones for 2010, in order to get an (incomplete) picture of the situation.

The results of the study were collected by the researcher Anne Tucker (based in the United Kingdom), and this work must be seen as what it is: not ambitious!

Nevertheless, the analysis of the collected data has already provided important indicators for the economy and companies’ mobility. Through a thorough economic analysis of small sample of European companies, the study provides brute data on creative teams’ budgets, show sales, number of performances, and their presence within the country of origin, Europe and the rest of the world.

Circostrada Network organised FRESH CIRCUS#2 - European seminar on the sustainable development of circus arts, April 12-13, 2012. The goal of this moment of reflection and exchange was to formulate a series of practical recommendations to improve the infrastructure and recognition of the sector.

Circostrada Network invites you to discover a synthesis of the FRESH CIRCUS discussions and to revisit the ten themes at the heart of the sustainable development of circus arts.

FRESH CIRCUS#2, through 10 thematic workshops:

• Contemporary circus aesthetics: standardisation, globalisation, diversity of cultural expressions?
• Artistic residency programmes: How to make use of space and time?
• Which types of cooperation with business are possible
• Social circus: what impact for citizens?
• Audience development: the role of new media?
• How do you criticise circus arts?
• From debut to retirement: which professional pathways?
• “Green circus arts”: what environmental responsibilities
• Our neighbours from other continents: which collaborations are possible?
• After production and co-production, who is commissioning?

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.