Aug 21 2009

Setting the Scene - North East

admin

At the Elemental event in the North East, the session started as it did with some of our other events with a ‘Setting the scene’ exercise to find out the delegates understanding of the outdoor sector and specifically, Street and Circus.

Here are the responses to the 3 questions asked by the facilitator on the day:

What do we mean by circus and street arts, in the context of outdoor arts?

  • Spectacle, wonder, and awe
  • Odd locations
  • Magical and life affirming
  • Huge twist for work
  • Guerilla work – folk
  • Ordinary locations – it comes to you
  • Accessible
  • Burma – Shave
  • Strongly visual
  • It moves through a space – procession
  • Political work on the rise?
  • Full spectrum of scale
  • Aerial dance
  • Unspecified audience
  • No prior knowledge required but educated over time
  • Tented circus/outdoor circus
  • Political

    • What are the contexts in which this work is produced and presented?

  • Festivals – too often limited
  • Purchased
  • Pop festivals
  • Dangerous assumption around ease
  • Community festivals nurture talent
  • Audience development
  • Importance of local authorities
  • Artistic drive to make work
  • Permissive councils let performers develop
  • Imagination our nation
  • Festival of carnivals?

    • What are the structures needed to support the development of this work?

  • Importance of creation centres
  • Plurality of funding streams
  • Technical requirements e.g anchor points
  • University course
  • Support practitioners working with young people
  • Communities not schools
  • Locations, promoters and presenters
  • Finding space to do stuff
  • Structured progression route

    • Are there any you’d like to add?

    To download this please click here for the PDF and for more on the North East click here.

    no comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Circus, North East, Street

    Aug 18 2009

    Setting the Scene - East Midlands

    admin

    At the Elemental event in the East Midlands, the session started as it did with some of our other events with a ‘Setting the scene’ exercise to find out the delegates understanding of the outdoor sector and specifically, Street and Circus.

    Here are the responses to the 3 questions asked by the facilitator on the day:

    What do we mean by circus and street arts, in the context of outdoor arts?

  • Participatory performance
  • Spectacle
  • Entertaining
  • Visual
  • Expressive
  • Freely accessible
  • Surprising
  • Engaging
  • Interactive
  • Bringing people together –
  • New audiences
  • Unexpected
  • Intimate or huge
  • Are we talking about carnival?
  • Static street shows
  • Walkabout
  • Transforming spaces
  • Mechanical installations
  • Temporary
  • Site specific
  • Innovative use of space
  • Circus
  • Outdoor and tented

    • What are the contexts in which this work is produced and presented?

  • “Infinitely variable”
  • Festivals
  • Civic events/Community events – civic calendar
  • Different times of the day/year
  • Cave/Caravan/Beach huts/Derelict sites
  • Spectrum: Local community, Professional, Commercial, Arts.
  • Themes and partnerships – Health & education
  • As part of main programme in traditional/venues

    • What are the structures needed to support the development of this work?

  • Use of public space issues
  • Professional support networks
  • Critical debate
  • Time for planning, experimenting, creating
  • Sharing practice
  • Info for emerging artists
  • Signposting
  • Professional development

    • Are there any you’d like to add?

    To download this please click here for the PDF and for more on the East Midlands click here.

    no comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Circus, East Midlands, Street