Bridging Borders, Cultures, and Hearts through Youth Circus Exchanges
As part of our youth circus programme, we offer our members the opportunity to take part in national and international youth exchanges. In 2023, we participated in 5 youth exchanges both in Ireland and internationally.
Youth exchanges foster intercultural dialogue and learning, develop skills and attitudes of young people, strengthen values, break down prejudices and stereotypes, raise awareness about socially relevant topics and encourage engagement in society and active participation.
This year our members participated in:
Circus Explored
Circus Explored aims to connect young circus enthusiasts and forge links between youth circus organisations from all corners of the island through the ISACS Network. Circus Explored is supported by Creative Ireland in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media as well as under the government’s Shared Island initiative in the Department of the Taoiseach. This year the programme brought young people from youth circus organisations on both sides of the border together at key events in the youth circus calendar in Belfast and Galway.
The first Circus Explored youth exchange kicked off in April when young circus delegates from Galway Community Circus, Cloughjordan Circus Club, and Circus Factory Cork travelled to Belfast to attend Festival of Fools and meet their peers from Circusful and In Your Space in Derry. The exchange featured performances by youth circus members from across the island of Ireland & drop-in ‘have a go’ workshops for adults and children throughout the weekend.
The second Circus Explored youth exchange took place in Galway between In Your Space Circus from Derry, Circusful from Belfast and Galway Community Circus. In Galway, participants had the opportunity to meet their peers, learn new circus tricks together and perform. They also learned ways to become future Youth Circus leaders with professional skill development education, so they can continue to pass on their incredible circus skills to the next generation of circus artists.
You can watch videos of both exchanges below.
Irish Aerial Dance Youth Exchange Day
The Aerial Dance Youth Exchange Day is a project run by the Irish Aerial Creation Centre and is a collaboration between various youth groups in Ireland. Three of our members and one of our tutors attended. You can watch a video of the project below.
Cloughjordan Irish Youth Circus Gathering
Our friends and partners at Cloughjordan Circus Club host an annual Irish Youth Circus Gathering. The event brings together young people with a shared interest in circus from Youth Circus organisations from all over the island of Ireland. Young people take part from Derry, Galway, Dublin, Belfast, Cork and of course Tipperary in a shared weekend full of circus workshops, learning and fun. The weekend features a packed circus workshop programme, as well as social events including a BBQ, board games night, and a Saturday night cabaret performance.
Watch a video of the Cloughjordan Youth Circus Gathering below.
Nature and Circus for Mental and Physical Health in Slovenia
Our members participated in a six-day youth exchange hosted by our friends and partners Cirkus Fuskabo in Slovenia where they had the opportunity to connect with nature and train in circus to improve mental and physical health. 64 young people from 6 different organisations took part in the youth exchange, with 7 Galway Community Circus members participating.
In Slovenia, the young people involved learned new circus skills as well as the importance of mental and physical health through circus arts, presentations and lectures. They got to know each other and learn from about other cultures and countries, made new friendships and gained new knowledge and experiences. It was a gathering of like-minded individuals to share experiences on a personal and artistic level. Our members participated in this youth exchange along with other circus schools from Montenegro, Germany, Slovenia, Serbia and Czechia.
Check out some lovely photos of this youth exchange below.
