People's circus - an alternative route to funding and fulfilment
Belfast Community Circus has a different set up to anything else in the UK. People tend to have major misconceptions about Belfast and Northern Ireland, it is not part of Britain, it is part of the British Isles and part of the UK; it is definitely not part of the British circus scene. As an isolated island within an island, Northern Ireland does not get much exposure to international circus models; with a population of 1.5 million, touring the province is not an attractive proposition for a company.
Community circus has a different meaning in Belfast to that in Britain. Belfast has a patchwork of insular communities within very small space of each other; Belfast has a very fragmented society. Protestants, Catholics, Unionists, Nationalists do not generally mix and there has not been major cross community work in the city. Belfast has the largest number of leisure centres per head of population in the UK; there are 17 centres, one for each community. The communities fall into two cultural traditions, Protestant and Catholic. Each tradition has its own heritage in terms of the arts.
In 1985 Belfast Community Circus was set up. Circus does not have a tradition of being owned by one side or another, it is fully accessible to all. Circus is a tool that can be used to get into all geographical areas and access different communities. Circus has many benefits and great attraction. Its impact, as a medium, can be seen in Belfast and Northern Ireland. There is much disadvantage and poverty in Northern Ireland; the country has low rates of access to the arts. Traditional Circus has not had much of a presence in the country in the last 25 years. The circus arts do not have a platform.
Belfast Community Circus does not have a political agenda and has access to many different communities. There has been an incredibly positive response in terms of participation in Belfast. Circus can offer skills in confidence, co-ordination, communication, creativity and concentration. The creative experience shared with marginalized young people can act as a doorway into other arts participation. A number of professional performers and companies may have emerged from Belfast but Belfast Community Circus has focussed on the community.
Belfast Community Circus has a central Circus School which is placed in a neutral geographic area. The school is highly subsidized and can be experienced as a cross community activity. Outreach projects are held in a single area and kids attending are encouraged to attend the Circus School. At the school kids meet others from different backgrounds yet they all work together with a focus on circus.
Belfast Community Circus holds many events including a summer event (has included an exchange visit with children in Washington funded by the British Council); a summer residential camp leading to a performance; skills certificates; outreach programmes. Some non-sectarian parades are held in Belfast and kids are encouraged to parade at them. The kids can be empowered within their communities. Circus 1-3 is a pilot project founded by Belfast Community Circus to work with children in juvenile justice and care system. Circus has been used as a means of giving a positive experience to people on a care or supervision order; they can engage with the creative experience and give something back to the community, an alternative means of self esteem. Circus 1-3 is now an individual entity. Belfast Community Circus also runs an adult circus which provides training skills, exchange visits and community workshops.
The co-founders of Belfast Community Circus initially took drama projects into the communities. They then incorporated circus skills training into the workshops and found that many people were more interested in circus than drama. Along the way some parents have had concerns with the fact that the circus works across communities. However, the kids do not necessarily realize that they are mixing with kids on the other side until they have attended many workshops. Most parents encourage the kids to be involved in something positive.
Funding is intrinsic to Belfast Community Circus' work in the target areas of social need; promoting personal and community development. Belfast Community Circus carried out a review of their strategic development. They concluded that they have a low skills ceiling and wish to address the level of circus skills in the organisation. They do not have any access to a permanent space and only use a venue when they are running a workshop. They wish to take circus in Northern Ireland forward in more than just a community context. They do not have enough tutors and have identified a huge demand for more. They want to give a qualification and have devised an NVQ in community work which can be applied through circus. They have devised a programme which is 80% circus, 20% social/community work. The whole development strategy was funded by the Arts Council Lottery Unit. The company's request was not met fully however, there was still enough funding to devise a seven month training programme beginning in September 1999. This will equip people with skills so that they can be a tutor in a workshop and give them skills in devising workshops for a particular group. It is hoped that this training programme will be a boost for performance in Northern Ireland.
They have since looked to find a building to house the training programme; the building would have to be located in a central and neutral position. Belfast Community Circus have approached a development corporation which is in the process of renovating a building for them which meet the above criteria.
It is important to encourage young people, not just to be stars of the future but as they are the audiences of the future. Only 17% of the population access the sometimes elitist work funded by the Arts Council. There is an amazing market for circus in Northern Ireland.
Will Chamberlain