Following the rejection of our Expression of interest from the Arts Council, there was a great feeling of disappointment, personally I couldn’t help but feel a sense of failure. But as we so often have to do within the arts and in circus, we get back on the horse/bike/base, pick up our balls and carry on – (pick your preferred metaphor). Massively buoyed by the positive conversations and ideas that were coming out of the working groups and from individuals, we know that there is huge enthusiasm and need from the sector for a support network.

The Arts Council have suggested that we pause until we know the decisions of the National Portfolio funding round in October, during this pause we are continuing to plan a Resource Centre and seek advice around alternative structures and funding. We have a meeting with the Arts Council in August, in which we will seek advice around funding and Arts Council support; the idea is to use this time to ‘get all our ducks in a row’. (I am not sure the derivation of that particular metaphor!)

This blog brings together those ideas from the working groups and an update on the Resource Centre and thoughts around structure.

The following working groups have held meetings to discuss need and plan potential activity: Health and Wellbeing, Touring, Career Progression, Inclusion and representation, Junction Box, Resource Centre, Structure and Fundraising. Headlines from each group are below.

Health and Wellbeing

• Funding for an independent person who knows the circus industry to support artists' health and wellbeing and offer advice on relevant resources: this came up after an in depth discussion about artists feeling that often they work under hard circumstances (physically and mentally) as the directors/choreographers of the companies they work for don't understand the circus body and its needs to sustain rehearsals, training and touring. So there was this idea of having a paid post for someone that can be an intermediary between artists and companies/employers if needed.

• Mapping resources and share them on a resource platform for a list of services to do with mental health wellbeing, circus knowledgeable physios etc (this ties in with the Resource Centre group)

• Formulating a code of conduct for circus companies/employers to sign up to, to show that companies understand what to do to protect the artists wellbeing (similar to what One Dance UK did for the dance sector and what Vicky and Equity started for the Safety Standards that venues would have to sign up to, to demonstrate they are a safe venue to perform in. Creating a culture of accountability basically.

Touring

• Circus Change Up: a resource for artists and venues: A regularly updated list of venues and festivals who program circus + basic tech information (aerial work possible or not, rigging points, etc.) + contacts. A list of shows that are currently available for touring. Circus Change Up to encourage venues to program more circus through case studies of success stories. Write case studies of venues who successfully went into programming circus and hear the voices of programmers, technical teams and marketing teams – how these departments approached circus, what they did to make it work, the challenges, etc.

• Support venues and artists to engage with local circus groups: A response to the need for venues to engage with their local group communities and encourage them to book tickets to circus shows. Circus Change Up could gather lists of circus community groups in the country

• Advocacy: Circus Change Up to advocate for Circus to be represented in nationwide organisations (UK Theatre, SOLT, etc.) Circus Change Up to advocate for circus to be included in already existing touring scheme (rural touring, dance touring partnership, etc.) Circus Change Up to advocate for funding structure for creation and touring to be adapted to the reality of touring circus

• Address the need for more circus producers: Link up with universities and advocate for students to discover the circus world, facilitate placement, etc. Support existing producers who are focusing on other art form to do more circus producing. Develop artists’ knowledge on the role of a producer, during and after circus school

• Artist support: Organise 1:1 sessions between artists and experienced artists/programmers/producers (similar to the FST mentoring scheme in Scotland). Create guides on how to apply to funding in a way that is easy to read and digest

Career Progression

• Mass Circus survey - Census how do people make a living? We do not currently have any baseline to work from and having information about what is actually happening in the sector would be useful

• We need more discussion/transparency about money what can Change Up do to facilitate this? We need someone that can position themselves more directly as an advisory body for people outside the sector and in the sector on best practice

• We need an organisation able to offer direct personal advice to individuals

• The business of being a circus performer – very few places for people to become knowledgeable about how to manage careers and themselves as a business perhaps Change up can offer masterclasses, provide templates (contracts etc), a learning community, mentoring programme in business and marketing

Inclusion and Representation

• Clarity around different groups and their needs as well as common understanding around issues such as harassment and bullying

• A safe space for people to share issues arising

• Signposting for people who need further guidance, support or legal advice

• Research on resources that already exists and what do we need to create that is sector specific

• Break away groups focussing on intersectionality

• Gathering baseline data to understand what needs to change. Who are the freelancers? What is the demographic

• Sharing good practice

Junction Box – a group discussing how Change Up can support rather than duplicate what is already happening across the sector.

• Linking development across the country

• Map circus activity

• Identify a commonality across our own sector and others

• Link with other networks and infiltrate across cultural landscape

• Initiate the sharing of knowledge, strategy and partnership working

• Celebrate success from all over the country

• Have a consistent voice in networks outside of our own

Resource Centre

• The working groups have highlighted both the need and the rich potential of what a support network could offer. It also became apparent that a Resource or Knowledge Centre was referred to in each group as a way of sharing resources, information, expertise and signposting.

• There was an initial enthusiasm to build a simple website in response to this, however it seemed more valuable to use this pause to plan a site that would be fit for purpose and respond to the range of needs from the sector. To this end Lissy Lovett, Tina Koch and Jackie Friend have been working with website developer and circus artist Joshua Smith.

• Following on from the work that the Resource Working Group started, they have developed the thinking in which the users of the website are at the heart of the design process. As part of this process they are consulting with members of different user groups and will then consult the wider sector. This will then feed in to a site map which will inform the design and building of a website. The very methodology of this will be testament to the needs and momentum of the circus sector and both the planning and the process will be a useful addition to any further funding applied for. On a more logistical level, at the the end of this process we will have a document outlining what the resource centre will look like, how it will work, what it will cost to have it up and running and what maintenance will involve and cost.

Structure and Fundraising

The Structure and Fundraising group met following the EOI negative decision, so these headlines are in response to that news.

• Open letter to ACE from the Circus Sector, advocating for the need for a development agency.

• Creating a survey. Research the work that Montreal has done, to define the best way to do this.

• Look at setting up a consortium, seek legal and governance advice of structure and setting up consortium.

• Work on the designing of a Resource centre is gathering pace – so how this online presence can support CCU activity?

• Looking at other sources of funding.

A potential timeline would look like this:

July – User survey undertaken for Resource Centre. Site map for Resource centre developed

Seek legal advice around structure and consortium

August – Meeting with Clive Lyttle about managed funds

Kate Webb to focus on fundraising and strengthening partners in priority places

Sept – Conveners and structure group meet to discuss next steps based on meeting with Clive Lyttle

Oct – Final report to ACE for managed funds as they currently stand

Nov – Resubmit EOI. Or wait until a better case is made, or put in for a smaller amount – breaking in to chunks

Jan – If EOI submitted and if successful submit application

April – hear back from EOI decision

Thankyou to everyone who took part in the working groups and on going discussions. Please look out for and take part in surveys as these will form really useful data that will support the on going work and lobbying.

If you have any questions or would like to get involved please email info@circuschangeup.co.uk