Hi all, 

I’m jumping in to take over from Christy for this month’s CaPT Bulletin. I hope you all have weathered the summer festivals and performance seasons, grant writing deadlines, and general hecticness of the year so far. Well done to everyone who submitted an application to the Victorian CaPT funding rounds or had multiple applications due at the same time! 

As the seasons change and the puffer jackets come out, I hope there is a little bit of time for rest and recovery for all before the next big effort. 

Best wishes,  
Charice Rust and the TNA Team

TNA News and Opportunities

Access in Circus Workplaces Survey
We’re running a survey about access in Australian circus workplaces. It’s for everyone who has worked, or trained to work, in professional circus in Australia. We’d love as many people as possible to complete this survey, regardless of whether you identify as disabled or living with disability. Your input in this survey is crucial for shaping what we do next. It is open until the end of May.

Announcing new Circus and Physical Theatre Advisory Committee (CaPTAC)
We’re thrilled to announce the new CaPT Advisory Committee members, whose term began at the start of the year. The new committee is Adelaide Church (NT), Georgia Deguara (WA), Chris Carlos (VIC), Meredith Kitchen (SA), Tony Rooke (TAS), Jasmine Straga (NSW) and Lil Tulloch (NSW). The committee is co-convened by Lauren Swain & Christy Flaws. More info on the new committee members is available on the TNA website.

CaPT Mentoring Program
This month TNA is running Round 2 of the CaPT Mentoring Program that connects independent circus and physical theatre artists and producers with established practitioners for a 60minute mentoring session. Both mentees and mentors are paid for their time.

Sector support for the Victorian CaPT Funding Rounds
Last month TNA coordinated a gathering for members of the community to come together, share visions for the future and discuss potential projects & collaborations. This event was generously hosted by NICA. TNA also offered one-on-one sessions plus a group co-working session for peers to work on their applications.

General News and Opportunities

Victoria

21 Apr – Melbourne Fringe Festival Cash to Create 
Melbourne Fringe is offering two $10,000 commissions for artists to premiere new works in this year’s Festival. This opportunity is open to any artist or collective based in Victoria, working in any artform. Applications close at midnight on Sunday 21 April. 
 
29 Apr-3 May – Clown and Physical Theatre Workshop with Clare Bartholomew
After selling out in January this year, Clare is again running her Clown and Physical Comedy Workshop. Spend five whole days immersing yourself in the wonderful world of clown and physical comedy with one of Australia’s most experienced practitioners.

1 May–25 Jun – Disrupting Sighted Ableism: Call to Action
A free series of panels and workshops on disrupting sighted ableism at Arts Centre Melbourne.

• 1 May: Panel discussion on current status of blind and low vision accessibility in the arts.
• 11 May: Audio Description for Performance workshop.
• 25 June: Panel on The Working Artist Re-defining Access. Registrations required.

28 Jun – VAPAC announces exciting new CaPT Initiative
Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres (VAPAC) is offering funding to subsidise touring and presentation of CaPT work across Victoria in 2025-26. They will also be running a series of online workshops for venues and artists about pitching and presenting CaPT works.
Webinar info session 7 May. Applications open 17 June and close 28 June.

National

Apr – Become a Peer Assessor for Creative Australia
The application form for the new Pool of Peers opens in April 2024. Assessors are paid for their time. We’d love to see lots of CaPT practitioners in the 2025-28 pool, so register your interest now!

22 Apr – Corrugated Iron is hiring (NT)
Corrugate Iron is accepting applications for their Creative Producer (Programs) role. The position involves developing and delivering their annual artistic program in collaboration with children, young people, emerging and early career artists. Applications close Monday 22 April.

25-28 Apr – Adelaide Juggling Convention (SA)
Adelaide Juggling Convention is a 4 day long weekend of workshops, games and shows around learning and sharing new skills in juggling, spinning and fun! 4 day AJC ticket including all shows and workshops costs $160. 

8 May – Warehouse Circus is hiring (ACT)
Warehouse Circus is seeking expressions of interest from circus artists with coaching experience to join their fun, hard-working and enthusiastic workplace. 

7 Jul – Vulcana Circus in a Tea Cup Project 2024 (QLD)
This bi-annual project supports women, trans and non-binary people who are survivors of domestic abuse to tell true stories of recovery, resilience, and triumph. The project is running in the second half of 2024. Info session at the Vulcana Arts Hub on the 7th of July.

Aug/Sept – Circus Arts Australia Training for Circus Coaches (NSW)
24 Aug Coach-In-Training Course 
14-15 Sep Flying Trapeze Coaching Course (Stage 1 & 2)

5-9 Sep – GLOW Fest (NSW)
GLOW Fest is a family friendly circus arts and lifestyle event with a huge program of workshops and art experiences for kids and adults, as well as nightly entertainment from the country’s best. More information and the Artist Application link on their website. 

Sep/Oct – National Circus Festival returns (NSW)
Save the dates for the 2024 festival in Mullumbimby!
29 Sep-3 Oct: National Training Program.
4-6 Oct: Festival Weekend. 

National Library of Medicine article on circus and health
Circus activities are emerging as an engaging and unique health intervention. Read the article: Circus Activities as a Health Intervention for Children, Youth, and Adolescents: A Scoping Review.

PAC Australian National Presenter Outlook
Last month PAC Australia presented their annual National Presenter Outlook session, drawing on sector information from their Member Benchmarking Data, Presenter Survey and Arts on Tour survey. You can watch the recording of the session.

InternationalIn

19 Apr – Circus Talk webinar – A Conversation with Billy Alwen about Empowering Diversity in Circus and Beyond, exploring ways to encourage greater participation of disabled artists in formal circus training programs and create more employment opportunities within the commercial circus industry. 

1 May – Sibiu International Performing Arts Market Registrations (Romania)
This year’s International Market is offering free participation in market events. This includes speed networking. The market does offer online participation, but what this involves has not been announced.

13 May – Stockholm University of the Arts is welcoming applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Circus. They are looking for someone with the desire to teach, conduct research and supervision at all levels in Circus.

4-14 Jul – Montréal Complètement Cirque (Canada)
Save the dates, the festival program will be announced soon. The MICC annual market is also taking place 8-11 July. 

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. 
 

• Congratulations to Clare Bartholomew, Nicci Wilks, and Mozes for winning the Best Ensemble Green Room Award for The Long Pigs! 
• Congratulations to circus practitioner, Winter Chapman, on receiving TNA’s Access & Equity Bursary to attend Leaps and Bounds: APAM x Honey Pot during Adelaide Fringe.
• Congrats to all the Perth and Adelaide CaPT award winners!
  • Adelaide Fringe Festival Awards:
    • House of Oz Purse Prize: Ten Thousand Hours by Gravity and Other Myths
    • Fiji Fringe Festival Tour Ready Award: Oat Milk & Honey by Sound of Circus
    • Weekly Award Winners: Le Freak by Heartfelt Havoc, Party Pooper by Wildhouse Circus
  • Perth Fringe Festival Awards:
    • ​​​​​​​Children’s Event Award: A Bee Story by ARC Circus
    • Circus Award: Sinsuality: HoeDown by Kinetica Circus
    • Circus Weekly Award Winners: Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, Barbaroi, 2 Outrageous, Circus After Dark:Nocturnal, Thicc Jesus, Moist, The Dreamer, 80s Mixtape Prom Night, A Circus Sensation.
• Flying Fruit Fly Circus has announced their NexGen partnership with Cirque du Soleil to provide high-calibre training opportunities to emerging talents and connect students to world-leading career opportunities.