Dare, Dream and Create in 2024
Daring to dream and create, 2024 was a year of transformation at Galway Community Circus. From empowering young people to advancing circus education, discover how we’re making an impact locally and internationally.
As 2024 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on an extraordinary year filled with creativity, growth, and connection. Through the power of circus, we’ve witnessed countless moments of transformation—building resilience, inspiring creativity, and fostering a sense of belonging in our community.
This year, we dared to push boundaries, dreamed big for our future, and created opportunities to make a difference. Whether it’s empowering young people to take risks and build confidence, fostering inclusion through community participation programmes, or advancing circus education through research and collaboration, our work is rooted in meaningful impact.
We’re thrilled to share some of our favourite moments and stories from the past year. These achievements would not have been possible without the incredible support from our funders, partners, members, volunteers and staff. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey, and we can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store as we continue to inspire, connect, and transform through circus.
Youth Circus: Building Skills, Friendships, and Futures
Youth Circus lies at the heart of Galway Community Circus, and 2024 has been a fantastic year filled with creativity, collaboration, and growth. With 601 weekly members and over 7,000 participants engaged through our programmes, we’ve seen fantastic growth in creativity and skill development. Highlights include four transformative youth exchanges, a successful Mayhem Youth Circus Festival, and the continued growth of our Youth Performance Troupe. Our youth artists showcased their talents, expanding their horizons and gaining invaluable experiences.
Empowering Community Through Circus
At Galway Community Circus, we believe in the transformative power of circus to inspire, empower, and bring people together. This year, we facilitated 19 community partnership programmes, creating accessible and inclusive opportunities for schools, youth, and community groups to develop confidence, social skills, and a sense of belonging.
Through these programmes, we’ve seen first-hand how circus strengthens confidence, builds community, and promotes well-being. From introducing young children to vital developmental skills to providing a safe space for individuals to take risks and express themselves, circus education has a profound impact. These programmes wouldn’t be possible without the support of our partners, funders, and the incredible participants who bring their energy and creativity to every session. Click the button below to read more about these programmes.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: A Circus For All
At Galway Community Circus, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. Last year, we launched our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policy, and in 2024, we continued taking meaningful steps to embed these principles across everything we do. Actions in this area included our partnership with Extraordinary Bodies, taking part in the ISACS EDI project, and conducting both an organisational and digital EDI audit. Our work in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion is an ongoing journey, and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made in 2024. Through meaningful partnerships, collaborative projects, and self-reflection, we’re taking steps to ensure that circus remains a space where everyone, regardless of ability or background, feels empowered to participate and thrive. Click the button below to read more about these projects.
Building Skills, Building Community: Investing in the Future of Circus
In 2024, Galway Community Circus has continued to support the growth and development of the circus sector through professional development and international collaboration. With 198 days of professional development offered, we’ve empowered circus artists, educators, and practitioners with opportunities to learn and grow. Highlights this year include our participation in Caravan's Circus Transformation programme, masterclasses with Circa and Fraser Hooper, and training for trainers on the ASK programme. Through these initiatives, we're working to enhance the skills of circus professionals but also hope to contribute to the broader development of circus as an artform. Click the button below to read more about these projects.
More Circus in More Places
Galway Community Circus was thrilled to launch Toddler and Youth Circus classes on Galway's Eastside in 2024, marking a significant achievement in our efforts to bring circus to more communities. As part of our work with Rethink Ireland’s Step-Up programme, and with the support of Galway City Council Arts Office, we successfully piloted the programme at Mervue Community Centre. This marked the beginning of our strategic cultural partnership with Galway City Arts Office, which will help support the long-term development of youth arts in the area.
Fundraising Fellowship Ireland
In June 2024, thanks to the support of Business to Arts, Galway Community Circus was delighted to welcome Maeve Keane as our new Development Coordinator. This opportunity was made possible through the Fundraising Fellowship programme, which was launched by Business to Arts in 2016 to build fundraising capacity for the arts in Ireland.
The Fellowship, in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, offers match-funding for new fundraising roles along with professional development and mentorship. Maeve is participating in a two-year immersive programme designed to enhance proposal writing, pitching, and fundraising strategies, while also developing new networks to support our work. Galway Community Circus, alongside Sample-studios, was selected for the 2024-2026 programme.
Advancing Circus Education Through Collaboration
In 2024, we continued our commitment to advancing circus education through meaningful academic, national and international collaborations. Highlights included delivering a module for the Designing Futures programme at the University of Galway as part of our YPCE Residency, contributing to the Circus Transformation Advanced research project, and laying the groundwork for comprehensive development of the Galway Community Circus curriculum. These initiatives reflect our vision of embedding circus into educational frameworks and strengthening its role as a powerful tool for learning, resilience, and creativity.
Building Global Connections Through Circus
Our international partnerships have been a cornerstone of our work in 2024, allowing us to grow, learn, and share best practices with the global circus community. From hosting the EYCO General Assembly in Galway to participating in international conferences on safety and leadership, our team has contributed to shaping the future of circus education and advocacy.
Through networks like FEDEC, EYCO, and the Caravan Circus Network, we’ve strengthened our role in the European circus sector, while also creating opportunities for Irish artists and educators. Programmes like the European Solidarity Corps bring young volunteers to Galway, enriching our community with fresh perspectives and skills. Through these connections, we’re bringing new ideas, resources, and opportunities to Galway while contributing to the development of the circus sector on a global scale.