This March 2018 CaPT News includes National updates on the sector. 

WRAP UP 

National Youth Circus Symposium NYCS 16-17 Jan & Circus Industry Forum 17-18 Jan
Part of Sydney Festival Circus City, about 100 participants attended across both gatherings for robust discussion about Circus as an artform, practice and industry; identifying gaps and responding to key issues affecting the sector.

Some of the key sector issues identified include:

Regional/Remote – challenges and benefits 
Working with Families – what supports are needed?
Training for trainers – sharing/exchanging resources between trainers
Gender in Circus – bending the binary, equality for female identifying people
Mentoring – how can the sector learn from our elders?
Industry transitions/Independent artists/Emerging Pathways
Cultural Diversity – representing our diverse society
Accessibility – increasing access for all
Animals in Circus – engaging with traditional circus’ next generation
Audiences – getting them, keeping them, diversifying them
Circus in Schools – developments on circus as curriculum
Engaging Wider Performing Arts – collaboration, network, advocacy
Festival Programming – valuing circus, understanding our needs
Sector Health Analysis – how are we doing? What do we need next?
Sexual Harassment – what are our policies and protocol? 

Some tangible actions the sector can undertake:

·       Broker a mentor/mentee relationship
·       Nominate to be on Australia Council for the Arts’ Peer Assessment Panel
·       Invite someone from the wider performing arts sector to the next NYCS/Circus Industry Forum.

The current NYCS Committee members are:
Jodie Farrugia, Joshua Hoare, Alice Cadwell, Simon Clarke, Annie Stephens

New additions are being made and finalised, and the new committee and structure will be announced shortly. 

20 Feb – Zoom In: On the State of Circus & Physical Theatre at APAM 2018 
At APAM, TNA supported a session facilitated by international circus advocator Yohann Floch from Fresh Arts Coalition Europe, and Brisbane-based director Chelsea McGuffin from Company 2. Wrap up of discussions here: https://soundcloud.com/user-743795143

Key issues discussed:

The Challenge of Keeping the Show Alive (Touring Models, Need to See, Risk on the Artist)
Supporting Diversity (Style, Form, Aesthetic, Scale)
Audience Development to Match Diversity (Growth in Sector, Is Our Audience Coming With Us?)
Are You Buying Work or Companies?
Nurturing the Artists and Creativity (Support, Creation Spaces, Critical Thinking)
Support for Visibility (To Match the Need to See)
Circular Education, Valuing Each Step (Continuing to Grow the Art of the Sector)
Where is the Market for Innovative Practice? (Who is Taking Risks, Difference Between Circus and Physical Theatre)

CaPT Advisory Group – Working with Theatre Network Australia to support the sector
Kate Fryer, Joshua Hoare, Felicia Lannan, Deb Wilks, and Rockie Stone are the inaugural CaPT Advisory Group. The advisory group had their first meeting on Thursday 15 February. Feed your issues to them before the next meeting, to be held Thursday 24 May 2018.

Library / Resources
The Flying Fruit Fly Circus has generously shared their current Code of Behaviour, and various policies such as Child Protection, Working Drug and Alcohol, and Operational Health and Safety. Visit the TNA library to read these and other sector-wide resources including updates on Codes of Behaviour from Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), Live Performance Australia (LPA), and Confederation of Australian State Theatres (CAST); as well as a directory of technical Designers for live performance prioritising gender equity.

UPCOMING 

30 Mar – Gravity Dolls: Aerial Arts Festival in Collingwood, VIC
The Aerial Arts Festival, presented by Gravity Dolls, will take place from 30 March – 1 April 2018 at Perry Street, Collingwood. Featuring 80 aerial discipline workshops and a world class teaching team of trainers. Limited places. Find out more. 

12 – 14 Apr – Peepshow by Circa at Geelong Performing Arts Centre $35 Industry Offer, VIC Peepshow premieres in Lismore in March then tours to Geelong and Darwin before heading to London for three months and on to Europe for a six-month season. Usual price: $62/$53 Conc. $35 Industry tickets available for TNA CaPT database using the discount code: PEEPS Book here.

18-22 Apr – Register for Catapult Festival in Bathurst, NSW 
Catapult is the meeting point for metropolitan, regional and remote youth circus practitioners and also the meeting point between youth circus and adult professional circus and physical theatre. Fees start from $140 (Youth), and include open access workshops/forums, 3 special events, and catered meals. Programs run from 18 – 22 April in venues across Bathurst. About the festival.

27 Apr – Circus Oz Sidesault at the Melba Applications Open
The Melba is seeking expressions of interest from independent artists and small to medium companies who would like to be a part of the second festival of innovative and experimental Circus work at The Melba Spiegeltent, Sidesault at the Melba. Find out more. 

Ongoing – The Gravity and Other Myths Seedling Fund
Micro-loans for emerging circus and movement artists designed to support local emerging artists, both financially and through professional mentoring, to create and present new works. Emerging artists interested in this program will be asked to complete a simple submission explaining how this loan will assist them on their journey to becoming professional artists. Find out more.

2018 TNA MEMBERSHIP

We invite you to sign up as a financial member of Theatre Network Australia and support our work strengthening the small to medium, and independent performing arts sector. Individual membership starts from $33 ($29.70 with discount).

More information about membership is here, or feel free to contact us to find out more.

ENEWS & CaPT BULLETIN

Sign up to the TNA monthly Enews and quarterly CaPT Bulletin. Got something to include? Send your updates to jamie@tna.org.au

CONTACT US

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instagram: /theatrenetworkaustralia

Compiled by Jamie Lewis.