Building Skills, Building Community: Investing in the Future of Circus
At Galway Community Circus, we are dedicated to building a community of valued circus professionals. By providing professional development opportunities and resources, we aim to support artists, educators, and arts practitioners at every stage of their careers while contributing to the growth of the circus sector. In 2024, we proudly hosted 198 days of professional development activities, from workshops and residencies to large-scale training programmes.
Our professional development programme offers artists access to daily training and rehearsal space, production support, mentorship, and connections to a network of Irish and international circus professionals.
Circus Transformation: Driving Social Change Through Circus
In 2024, we completed participation in Circus Transformation 7 and began the next cycle of the programme, Circus Transformation 8. Delivered by the Caravan Circus Network, this initiative is a "training for trainers" programme designed for Social Circus educators to develop the skills needed to use circus as a tool for social engagement and change.
Bringing together 10 organisations and over 20 participants, the programme comprises four intensive, week-long modules focused on core elements of Social Circus teaching. Galway Community Circus sent two artists to Circus Transformation 7 and hosted a 5-day training module in Galway for an international group of circus educators, and has sent two additional artists to participate in Circus Transformation 8.
Professional Development Workshops
This year we facilitated two professional development workshops with Circa and Fraser Hooper.
Circa Acrobatics Workshop
During the Galway International Arts Festival, Australian circus company Circa hosted an acrobatics masterclass based on their stunning performance Duck Pond. Artists explored movement and circus techniques directly inspired by the show, gaining new skills and creative insights.
Clowning with Fraser Hooper
Renowned professional clown Fraser Hooper visited Galway in May as part of our Mayhem Youth Circus Festival. While here, he delivered an inspiring clowning masterclass for youth exchange participants and our tutors, blending humour with technical expertise to deepen understanding of this timeless circus art form.
ASK Training (Assistant Trainers Sharing Knowledge)
The ASK training programme was developed by EYCO (European Youth Circus Organisation) members to provide a dedicated curriculum for assistant trainers in the youth circus sector. Recognizing the need for formal training in this vital role, ASK focuses on equipping assistant trainers with pedagogical skills, sharing best practices, and fostering youth engagement. Its goal is to establish a standardized European curriculum that ensures accessibility, promotes excellence, and enhances the overall impact of youth circus organisations.
This year, we took an important step towards introducing ASK training in Ireland by training Irish circus trainers to deliver the programme locally. We are excited about the potential this initiative holds for supporting the next generation of assistant trainers and strengthening the youth circus sector across the country.
This training was supported through the Circus Explored programme led by ISACS, which is supported by the Creative Ireland Programme 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.
Supporting Independent Artists
Beyond structured training programmes, Galway Community Circus offers professional artists space and opportunities to develop their craft.
In March, we hosted artist Naomhan McKeon Joyce for a residency in funambulism. Providing artists with dedicated space to train and experiment is a cornerstone of our mission to support innovation and growth within the circus arts.
At Galway Community Circus, we believe that investing in the professional development of circus practitioners benefits not only individual artists but the entire sector. By offering high-quality training opportunities, fostering international collaborations, and supporting independent residencies, we are proud to contribute to the ongoing development of circus as a respected and thriving art form.