UP(date) Creative Development

Altitude | Gorilla Circus

Co-conveners Ezra Trigg and Kate Hartoch met with 17 Working Group members at the end of 2020 to discuss creative development in the circus sector.

They kicked off by exploring previous creative development initiatives for circus particularly CDA mentoring and the Up and Out Network, and looked at the role venues can play in developing work through residencies.

The Shunt collective was highlighted as a great example of how brilliant work can develop from a resourced collective of artists. The group also looked at different models for knowledge sharing and support and the issue of paying contributors for their expertise. We recognised that there are mentoring and match-making models from across the arts and business sectors that would be worth exploring.

NoFit State Circus is developing a creative development project involving residencies/ training and networking and Alison suggested the group feeds into this.

The group recognised the crossover between the Creative Development and Career Pathways & Health and Wellbeing Working Groups which they would like to explore in order to clarify and differentiate the aims of both groups

The group agreed two actions arising from the meeting:

• To research match making models

• To create a document that maps existing and historic creative development initiatives

Kate and Ezra have since met with the co-conveners of the Networking group to discuss thinking around a mentoring programme which they will feedback back to the Creative Development Working Group at its next meeting.