News & MediaTNA News and Opportunities
APAF Registrations open soon
Australian Performing Arts Forum (APAF) returns in person for the first time in six years! The three-day gathering of practitioners from theatre, circus, dance & experimental performance will be held on September 13-15 at Brisbane Powerhouse, alongside Brisbane Festival. This year’s Forum will include a dedicated circus stream on the first day. Registrations open on June 20 (June 13 for TNA members). Mark your calendars and get ready to secure your spot!
Producing Fundamentals returns in July
The popular Producing Fundamentals is back, this time with a CaPT-specific mini-program. Producing Fundamentals is a full-day event of in-person workshops, panels and networking sessions for emerging and mid-career independent producers and artists. Check out last year’s event and stay tuned for more info!
UPDATE: Australian First Nations CaPT Circle
Lauren Swain, the emerging First Nations Circle Program Producer, has been settling into her role here at TNA over the past few months. As a physical theatre maker from rural NSW Lauren has been a few degrees removed from the circus world, so her first few months have been spent getting to know this incredible and nuanced sector.
Lauren has been busy establishing the foundations of the Australian First Nations Circle for the CaPT Sector, a capacity-building program for mob, by mob and with mob. We are excited to begin pulling the circle together, ready for the first meeting later this year. If you are interested in this program or keen for a yarn over a cuppa, feel free to contact Lauren
UPDATE: Safe & Sustainable Circus Rigging Program
We are currently reworking TNA’s Ticket Upgrade program in light of a Victorian Government initiative funding High Risk Work Licenses for circus rigging until the end of 2023. Read the full update from Christian to learn all about this exciting news for Victorian riggers.
Sector consultation continues, investigating safety in the circus sector and the needs and challenges of circus riggers. In recent months Christian has connected with VAPAC, NICA, Arts Centre Melbourne, Stage Safety, Legs on the Wall, Construction Training International and LPA, along with several individual riggers. Get in touch with Christian to learn more.
Coming up in June, more info on TNA’s Diverse New Rigger Scholarships, which will be opening soon for 2024 applicants. Stay tuned for more info on this and on TNA’s updated Ticket Upgrade program.
Access2Arts announce Loki Rickus as new Board Chair
Loki is currently on our CaPT Advisory Committee and is guiding our Access in Circus project. We look forward to sharing more about this project soon. Congratulations Loki!
General News and Opportunities
Victoria
Tickets Selling Fast for Melbourne Juggling Convention
Melbourne Juggling Convention is going ahead later this year (28 Sep-1 Oct) and will be held at the new Circus Nexus space. Tickets are available and selling fast!
16 Jun – Melbourne Fringe registrations close
Ralph Mclean Microgrants are still available to support artists who are finding the rego fee or other small costs a barrier to participation. They will be assessed on a fortnightly basis until the budget is expended.
17 Jun – SCRIBE, Melbourne Fringe
Share your experiences of Melbourne Fringe Festival anonymously as part of SCRIBE, led by artist and curator Leisa Shelton and a collective of artists. SCRIBE collects experiences which are documented in either text, braille or drawings.
Circus Nexus are now settling into their new home in Preston. As part of the Studio Nexus Artist Program 2023 they will be looking for a director and performers to collaborate on an original work as part of Circus Nexus’ Melbourne Fringe Season, details will be posted on their website and Instagram soon.
Womens Circus is currently seeking new board members who are aligned with their mission and values and wish to be part of an active board to drive, guide and govern.
National
4 Jun – Aerialize AGM (NSW)
Current members of Aerialize and those within the community who would like to become a Member for 2023/24 are invited to attend their Annual General Meeting.
26 Jun-7 Jul – National Training Project (NSW)
Flying Fruit Fly Circus and Circa Contemporary Circus will once again present the National Training Project, which is a two-week winter training intensive in multiple circus disciplines.
Apply now for Western Australian Circus Festival (WA)
Lunar Circus will present the WA Circus Festival again from 8-20 January 2024, 20km south of Margaret River in Karridale. Includes the International Training Project (8-18 Jan) and Karnidale (19-20 Jan), showcasing some of the world’s finest circus and performance.
- Scholarship program applications open now (winners announced late June)
- Performer applications open now for Karnidale (close 30 June)
- International Training Project bookings open 1 July
CIRCFest Meanjin 2024 Festival Dates Announced (QLD)
Festival dates for next year’s CIRCFest have been announced as 12-21 April 2024. Program announcement & details will be shared by Cluster Arts later this year, but they are always happy to hear from artists, producers, technicians who would like to be involved.
EOIs Open for Flipside Circus’ Waterways Ensemble (QLD)
Waterways is a year-long project to develop an ensemble of First Nations artists, to create a new circus performance. They are looking for some deadly young Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people aged 12-25 who are keen to develop circus skills and tell stories on stage. You don’t need previous circus experience.
Circus Jam – Spaghetti Circus (NSW)
For industry professionals, performers and circus-loving folk to come together, practice and share skills at Spaghetti Circus. Held on the first Monday of every month.
Jobs for Circus Trainers (National)
EOIs for circus trainers are currently open at the following organisations:
- Womens Circus (VIC)
- Flying Fruit Fly Circus (NSW)
- NICA (VIC)
- Nexus Circus (VIC)
- South Australian Circus Centre (SA)
Touring resources
Regional Arts Victoria Tour School is a series of free webinars aimed at touring artists. It shares the knowledge from our sector’s leading organisations and practicing artists.
The recently released Australian National Touring Charter is designed to guide the actions of parties involved in the touring of live performing arts to professionally managed theatres and cultural centres in Australia.
Tour Well consists of practical, evidence-based tips addressing common mental health and wellbeing challenges that you might encounter while on tour, so you can better prepare, take care of yourself, and help support your mates on tour.
International
Canada: International Market of Contemporary Circus (MICC)
Annual Market Registration is now open. This four-day circus marketplace brings contemporary circus professionals together from around the world. Congratulations and chookas to the Australian artists and companies who were selected to pitch this year:
A Good Catch (Zoe), Olivia Porter and Jared Dewey (Party Ghost), Gravity & Other Myths (The Mirror/Out of Chaos), and Highwire Entertainment (The Defiant).
UK: TILTed Aerial Dance Film Festival 2023
Now accepting applications from artists working in aerial dance and/or circus. TILT pays screening fees to all selected film makers and awards a cash prize for the Audience Choice Award. Application deadline 10th June or late deadline 1st July
France: FRESH 2023 (International Event for the Development of Contemporary Circus and Outdoor Arts)
Registrations have just opened for this international gathering of circus professionals. This year’s event will be held in Paris on 20-22 Sep. Places are limited, so get in fast.
Worldwide: Circus Festival & Event Roundup
International Festival of Contemporary Circus Cirkuliacija, Jun 3-11 (Lithuania)
Alberta Circus Arts Festival, Jun 22-25 (Canada)
Tilt -UK Aerial and Physical Theatre Festival, Jul 10-16 (UK)
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów, Jul 27-30 (Poland)
European Juggling Convention, Jul 29-Aug 6 (Poland)
Worldwide: International Circus Jobs
Jump on the Circus Talk jobs board for open jobs and callouts from around the world.