Building Inclusivity in Youth Circus: Galway Community Circus Partners with Extraordinary Bodies
Galway Community Circus recently partnered with Extraordinary Bodies, a UK circus company that combines the talent of D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists to deliver a ground-breaking programme focused on inclusive practices in youth circus.
At Galway Community Circus, we are passionate about inclusivity and innovation, constantly striving to elevate standards within the Irish Youth Circus sector. As part of our commitment to this goal, we recently partnered with Extraordinary Bodies, a UK circus company that combines the talent of D/deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists, to deliver a ground-breaking programme focused on inclusive practices in youth circus. Funded by the Arts Council Capacity Building Support Scheme, the workshops we held were designed to foster inclusion, raise awareness, and inspire the next generation of circus artists.
Goals of the Programme
The collaboration with Extraordinary Bodies centred around their flagship initiative, Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists, which brings together disabled and non-disabled young performers aged 16-30. Through this partnership, we aimed to showcase high-quality, inclusive practices while providing practical tools and insights to youth circus practitioners in Ireland.
While inclusivity has always been a core principle in Youth and Social Circus, this programme was designed to share knowledge and instil confidence in Irish practitioners to create fully inclusive environments and performances, learning from international leaders in inclusive circus.
Our goals for the workshops were clear: we aimed to raise standards and encourage innovation by inspiring Irish circus professionals to push the boundaries of inclusive youth performances. Additionally, we sought to empower the Irish circus sector by sharing knowledge and tools from Extraordinary Bodies, helping to build the capacity of youth circus leaders and equip them with the skills to create more inclusive and accessible opportunities for young people across Ireland.
What Took Place
Thanks to the support of ISACS and Creative Ireland, more than 20 youth circus practitioners from across Ireland joined us in Galway for a CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshop that was led by Extraordinary Bodies over the course of two days. Their Inclusion and Access Facilitators, supported by both professional and young artists, guided participants through a series of sessions focused on inclusive teaching and participation techniques, the creation of youth performances that highlight inclusivity, and how to develop ensembles that integrate disabled and non-disabled artists.
The programme sparked meaningful discussions on how we can better support young people of all abilities in the circus sector and ensure that circus is viewed as an artform that is open to everyone, regardless of physical ability.
Culture Night with Extraordinary Bodies
Supported by Galway City Arts Office, the culmination of this incredible collaboration was a special public event held on Culture Night at Galway Community Circus. Audiences were treated to live performance demonstrations by artists from Extraordinary Bodies, showcasing the beauty and innovation that inclusive circus performances can bring to the stage. The event also featured a thought-provoking Q&A session and a screening of ‘Human’, a film created by Extraordinary Bodies.
A Long-Term Vision for Inclusivity
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are central to the long-term strategy at Galway Community Circus. We have already implemented several initiatives, including the development of a new EDI policy and Action Plan, but we recognize that there are gaps in our expertise. By partnering with Extraordinary Bodies, we have taken a major step toward filling these gaps, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in the future.
The knowledge and inspiration we gained through this collaboration will not only benefit our team but also have a lasting impact on the wider Irish Youth Circus sector. This programme is just the beginning of our efforts to lead by example, fostering greater inclusivity in youth circus and ensuring that the art of circus is accessible to all young people.
Thank you to Arts Council Ireland and Galway City Arts Office/Galway City Council for their generous support on this project.
Thank you to the Irish Street Arts, Circus and Spectacle Network and Creative Ireland for their facilitation and generous support that enabled Irish Youth Circus practitioners to attend the workshops.
