Circus Transformation 8
Circus Transformation (CTF) is a 20-day training for Social Circus trainers towards building capacity and know-how within the circus teaching community to develop skills in and around the effective use of circus as a tool for social engagement and change.
CTF was developed by the Caravan Network following a 5-year research project funded by the European Commission. The training is based on Caravan's ‘Circus Transformation Guidebook for Social Circus Teachers’ and has so far been delivered to 120 social circus teachers across 18 different countries. For more details, visit Caravan's website at www.caravancircusnetwork.eu.
In this cycle, Circus Transformation 8, 21 new circus trainers are taking part in four pedagogical modules throughout 2024 and 2025.
This year there are more than 10 circus schools participating, which means some organisations are only sending one participant. The role of the ‘Pedagogical Eye’ is also being implemented as a pilot initiative to assure quality delivery of the programme, as well as ensuring the achievement of the project goals.
Partners in this cycle include Sorin Sirkus, Galway Community Circus, Altro Circo, CIRQUEON, Cirkus Cirkör, Circus Fuskabo, Coraggio, Palestinian Circus School, cirquenciel, Kreativni Pogon, Zaltimbanq, Sirkus Magenta, Nablus, and Ecole de Cirque de Bruxelles.
Timeline 2024/25
Module A: Social Context from 9 to 13 September, 2024 in Ljubljana, Slovenia hosted by Circus Fuskabo.
Module B: Act of teaching from 2 to 6 December 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden hosted by Cirkus Cirkör.
Module C: Management/Steering of teaching from 7 to 11 February, 2025 in Siena, Italy hosted by Badabam (Altro Circo).
Module D/E: Circus Techniques & Creativity / Foundations from 24 to 28 March 2025 in Prague, Czech Rep. hosted by CIRQUEON
Circus Transformation 7 included 4 x 5-day modules taught by expert facilitators from Sorin Sirkus (Finland), École de Cirque de Bruxelles (Belgium), AltroCirco (Italy) and Galway Community Circus (Ireland):
A - Social Context
B - Act of Teaching
C - Management/Steering of Teaching
D - Circus Techniques, Creativity and Foundations
The programme was delivered between June 2023 and April 2024.
Circus Transformation Advanced was a research project that worked to develop, enhance and evaluate the Circus Transformation training programme for Social Circus teachers. The project aimed to strengthen the network with partners from social and youth work, disseminate the knowledge gained in previous training programmes and enable active communication between the fields of circus arts, social and youth work. The project also evaluated the CTF training programme, updated the CTF Guidebook and formed a peer network and follow-up strategy for CTF alumni.
The CTF Advanced project ran through April 2024. The first two workshops took place in Prague and Stockholm. The big meeting took place in Galway, and the final workshop took place in Italy in October, with a conclusion meeting in February 2024.
You can read more about CTF Advanced and the big meeting in Galway here.
In 2022, Dublin Circus Project, Galway Community Circus, Cloughjordan Circus Club and Circus Factory recruited participants for a 20-day professional training-for-trainers programme for Social Circus teachers. The programme was open to Ireland-based circus and/or youthwork practitioners, and was delivered between January and June 2022.
Thanks to funding from the Arts Council’s Capacity Building Support Scheme, the training programme was provided free of charge (course value is €2000 per participant). Participant were given a stipend of up to €450 for attending the full programme to support their travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. (Participants were required to organise their own accommodation and food).
