Hi all,   

We’re acutely aware of the impact of Swinburne University’s pause of enrolments at NICA and are advocating strongly for a reversal of this decision. Our thoughts are with those around the country who have been putting in significant effort to prepare to audition for 2024 and we hope for a swift resolution.  

Thanks to those who have reached out with ideas and opportunities for this bulletin. One suggestion was to include examples of best practice, so his month I was delighted to have a chat with Steph Cox around the work Women’s Circus has been doing to support parents which sits well alongside TNA’s Parenting in Circus resource which is now up online.  

I know for many of you, things are starting to ramp up with rehearsals, touring and festivals appearing close on the horizon… go well, you good things!  

Have you got an idea or opportunity to share? Get in touch: we’d love to hear from you.  

Best wishes,  

Christy Flaws and the TNA Team
 

TNA News and Opportunities

25 Sept — Diverse New Rigger Scholarships applications close
TNA is offering scholarships to support two aspiring riggers from Victoria from underrepresented communities or with diverse lived experience to undertake 12 months of training and professional development, including a Certificate III in Rigging. For more details and to apply click here.  

Resources for the CaPT sector  
TNA’s website has a dedicated page for CaPT specific resources, including resources created by TNA, and from around the globe. If you have a resource you think should be added please let us know. 

Our Parenting in Circus resource was developed this year by TNA in consultation with the CaPT Advisory Committee and TNA members. This is a living document and will be periodically updated to include additions from the sector. 

Youth Arts Chairs’ Network 
TNA is convening a network of Chairs/Board representatives of youth arts and TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) orgs for peer learning and discussion. Formal expressions of interest have now closed but if your Chair is interested, please get in touch. 

Australian Performing Arts Forum (APAF) Registrations  
TNA’s APAF will be held in Meanjin/ Brisbane from 13–15 September. Early Bird Registrations are now open for TNA members and non-member organisations. Note that indies had to register via an EOI process, which is now closed. 

General News and Opportunities

Victoria

Swinburne University decision to ‘pause’ NICA Enrolments  
An open letter from the current cohort of Certificate IV in Circus Arts students and Media responses to the recent announcement from Swinburne University that they have “paused” NICA enrolments for 2024 from Artshub, The Age, The Conversation and the ABC. 

19-20 Oct — Australian Circus Summit at NICA: Save the Date    
Part of NICA’s Circus Hub for the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival, the two-day program will be announced in the coming months.  

Circus Nexus launches Nexus Entertainment 
A new agency and events service will provide circus performers, dancers, technical support, and artistic advice for event organisers, agents and producers. 

Gasworks Arts Park seeking facilitators  
EOI’s now open for proposals of indoor/outdoor group participatory community arts event. Big, colourful and creative ideas are welcomed. 

Women’s Circus Space Connect Program: Free Space for Artists 
This new program offers free rehearsal space for circus companies and professionals. Artists can also request financial support to enable them to fully engage with the program, e.g., support to access childcare, travel, interpreters and more. See more details on Womens Circus approach to supporting parents in circus within our spotlight below. 

Melbourne Juggling Convention update  
Details on venue, public show, and schedule are now up on the website, if you are interested in running workshops or being in the show get in contact. 

National

Adelaide Fringe Key Dates for 2024 and Fringe Fund 
It may feel like Adelaide Fringe only just finished… but here are the key dates for next years festival! 

Adelaide Fringe Fund applications are now open grants of $500- $10,000 are available to support artists, producers and venue operators to present bold ideas, elevate diverse voices and encourage innovation. 

19 Aug — Circus Arts Australia Training for Circus Coaches (NSW)  
The Coach in Training Course in Byron Bay educates new coaches on safety, group management, age-appropriate activities, leading warm-ups and cool-downs and how to teach and supervise games and fundamental skills.  

17-21 Aug — GLOW Fest (NSW) 
GLOW Fest 2023: A Circus Arts & Lifestyle Gathering returns with three jam-packed days of circus arts workshops. Workshops include juggling, hooping, clowning, aerials, street theatre and movement of all kinds.  

Darwin Juggling Club  (NT)
An opportunity for juggling, hula-hooping, unicycle, diabolo, poi, staff and spinning enthusiasts to meet. Every Friday, 7-9pm at Corrugated Iron Youth Arts. $5 per week everyone welcome.

Jobs for Circus Trainers (National)

• Circus Monoxide (NSW) is recruiting an aerial trainer & artistic support. 20-hour teaching load working with emerging artist troupe, Sunday-Thursday. $1000 pw plus super, more/less work for right applicant/s. Includes free space to train/rehearse and support to cover relocation costs. Email Jonathan Christley on gm@circusmonoxide.com.au for more info.
• Circus Arts Australia Byron Bay (NSW) are on the lookout for excellent circus coaches and would love to hear from you. Email your expression of interest and CV to info@circusarts.com.au or apply via their website.  

• Infinity Circus and Acro (QLD) are looking for an aerial teacher and an acro teacher with blue cards to join their amazing team. Email your CV to infinitycircusandacro@gmail.com to apply. 
• Wild Spirit Aerial Arts Joondalup (WA) is looking for circus instructors in Lyra and/or silks to teach holiday workshops and term classes. Contact Maggie Kelley on 0410 403 702 for more info. 
• The Circus Studio (TAS) are recruiting a Team Leader  

International

France: AROUND FRESH 2023  
A podcast series leading up to the FRESH 2023 event. Maaike Muis, host of this podcast series, talks with the co-organisers of the event around the topics of each morning sessions: care, safety, sustainability. Find out more about FRESH 2023. 

Online information meetings prior to launch of the Southern Sweden Circus Festival
Artists and companies are invited to attend online info sessions to hear more about the festival and how to get involved. The festival is produced by Cirkus Syd, a non-profit association and think tank based in Lund that works globally to research, develop and strengthen the circus arts. 

Imaginarius Festival- Seeking proposals  
Imaginarius Festival 2024 Edition will take place May 23-26 with the theme ‘freedom’.
Their call for proposals, including costs and technical specifications, is open until August 31.  

Worldwide: Circus Festival & Event Roundup 
Berlin Circus Festival, Aug 11-20 (Germany) 
FiraTàrrega Sept 7-10 (Spain) 
Southern Sweden Circus Festival Launch Sept 7-10 (Sweden) 
Circus City Festival Bristol, Oct 1-22 (UK) 
Awaji Art Circus, Nov 3-25 (Japan) 
FiCHo, Nov 17 – 24 (Mexico) 

Worldwide: International Circus Jobs
Jump on the Circus Talk jobs board for open jobs and callouts from around the world.

 

A roll call of congratulations to individuals, companies and organisations who have had good news. 

City of Melbourne votes not to raise busking permit prices 
Following swift advocacy work by Street Performance Australia (SPA), Councillors voted unanimously to not only remove a new $207 fee, but to freeze busking permit prices at the 2021 rate of $30. They have also committed to consultation with SPA on future proposed changes. 

Youth Circus funding in WA
Theatre Kimberley and Circus WA have been newly accepted into the AOIP funding program that supports 37 small-med arts orgs in WA. Very exciting to see not just one but two youth circus orgs receive multi-year state arts funding. 

Spotlight: Supporting Parents in Circus: Women’s Circus 

Aim: Reduce barriers to parents in Women’s Circus programs, projects and workforce. 

Support for parents, their wellbeing and their work needs to happen in multiple ways. Women’s Circus sees funded childcare support as vital to addressing access barriers and working towards a healthier sector. They also acknowledge the additional barriers for those in the performing arts who are breastfeeding, solo parents and whose hours of employment don’t align with existing government-funded childcare.  

These values are reflected in their Strategic Plan through clear statements and, importantly, through tangible goals, measures and key actions. Current actions include: 

Budgeting for Childcare in Creative Projects 
Prioritising childcare support as an access cost in funding applications for all creative project budgets allows provision of a childcare support worker in the rehearsal room. This has been of benefit to multiple artists but also stage managers and production crew.  

Family-Friendly Facilities & Spaces 
Women’s Circus provides a baby-change area in the bathroom, child playpen, bouncer and toys, as well as couches and a microwave that both support and signal the welcome-ness of kids in the space, either with a parent or childcare worker. 

Individual and Tailored Support 
Staff and program participants are offered support in flexible ways, because care arrangements look different for every family. Parents can choose what they want childcare support to look like, which could mean having children in the space or include supporting existing arrangements such as family carers or external childcare or daycare offsite. 

IN THE WORKS 
The new strategic plan for Women’s Circus continues their commitment to implementing more support for parents, including: 

Financial & Practical Support for Participants  
Awaiting funding outcomes to provide a couple of sessions per week where either childcare or a subsidy is available for participants. From 2025 this will support parents to participate in community programs. 

Parental Leave for Staff
The initial stages for implementation of former General Manager Meghan Bourke’s ambitious parental leave scheme is planned for 2026. This will be a significant ongoing financial commitment for a small organisation. 

We would love to include more ‘Spotlights’ within future bulletins, if you have a suggestion of an approach which is supporting the health/wellbeing of the sector please get in touch.