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07.08.24

Big Tops to Big Dreams

Our community partnership programme, "Big Tops to Big Dreams," with New Horizon Athlone Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support is in full swing in Athlone!

Funded by the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Fund in partnership with Business to Arts, this programme uses circus to support the physical and mental wellbeing of refugee youth and young people in Direct Provision. Led by Pete Duncan, with support from UBU Your Place Your Space, Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board, Foróige, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, we've brought together young people, partners, youth workers, and translators to explore circus skills and performance techniques, and have had many discussions around learning over the past two weeks.

These workshops have offered a fantastic opportunity for participants to try circus skills, learn performance creation, and enjoy a fun summer activity with their peers. It has also been an invaluable way for them to integrate into Irish society, break language barriers, and most importantly, build confidence.

Join us this Saturday, August 10th, from 2-4 pm at Burgess Park in Athlone for the culmination of this programme in a show called "Resilience." The event will kick off with a small parade to the park, where you'll find workshop stations to try circus skills and enjoy performances under the big top tent.