New stretch target
Based on advice, we deliberately set our advertised target quite low. As we now push towards our actual target of £5000, we're really seeking the help of people who want to back the unique vision that will establsih a mobile theatre and arts centre for years to come.
Let's Circus has always been 'The Circus that runs away to Join You', and The Magpie will be our mobile theatre, training space, classroom and community asset. We will take it to places that no other circus travels to, we will bring opportunities for training and education that currently don't exist there. It will be a creative space for artists and an inspiring place for the public.
In 2015 we will be spending the summer season with the tent up every chance that we can get.
Already confirmed locations include:
June: Newcastle and Northumberland
July: Isle of Skye, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis - Scotland
August: Northumberland for the launch of our pilot festival, the summer circus gathering, where we invite you to come away and join us for a week long summer school of intensive circus training.
Thanks for being part of this journey with us. We look forward to welcoming you into 'The Magpie'
And this is just the beginning. She will have a lifespan of well over 10 years, and we want to grow our baby to be a community asset that all those involved with her can be genuinely proud of.
Project aim
More than just a tent, The Magpie will give artists, young people, the public & our community a special place to train, laugh, create, connect and develop through circus. The Magpie will be our school, our theatre, our home. The Magpie will be managed be Let's Circus and will always retain community-enhancement projects at its core as it is used in partnership with the development of Circus Central's educational programmes as shown in the video.
About the project
We need to raise £5000 through our crowdfunder campaign.
For 10 years now we've been creating circus projects that engage the public through participation and entertainment. Workshops, trainings, shows, community arts, etc. The next step for us as artists and community elders is to have and tour a Big Top tent. More than just a tent, it will be a home for circus. It will allow us to take a fully mobile theatre and customised training space to anywhere with a flat stand of land. Inside we'll host shows, workshops, summer schools and plenty of creative, exciting gatherings.
We're christening her 'The Magpie' and she will be travelling across the UK to connect with artists, festivals and communities.
Launching in June, 2015, our focus this year is to get her to reach as many people as possible, to spread the pursuit of circus as wide as we can, and to increase the quality of our offer for everyone. To do this, we're going to be working flat out to be the best we can. A new show with a touring international cast, new partnerships with festivals and schools, and some other ambitious touring and creative projects.
We launch The Magpie on June 6 and 7 in Newcastle as part of the Green Festival, then pitch on Lindisfarne, Holy Island for the weekend of June 27-28. Our first full circus tour, will take The Magpie and a new International show to The Scottish Outer Hebrides, where we'll be touring a series of community circus residencies. The tent will be our home as we put circus out there as an offer for the locals. Our international crew will perform our 2015 show 'Circus Heroes' and develop community shows with people along the way.
We are then working towards our own circus festival, and The Magpie is a big part of this. This will be a training and workshop based festival where the community of professionals and circus hobbyists can gather to live, and learn circus. August 10-14, in Northumberland.
details here http://info12579.wix.com/2015circusgathering
The money that comes into this crowd funding campaign will support everything that is needed to make reality out of our vision of a mobile touring theatre and classroom. It will help us build a stage and seating, it will enable us to have lights, sound and a fully functional aerial rig. It will help us to receive the training that we need to be legally responsible for the tent. It will help us to be a better to team, to deliver better activities which leave a great impact upon participants.
Our mission is to share circus with the world, and the world through circus.
This is the start of something new, something exciting, and something bold.
Follow our Let's Circus page on facebook, and CircusCentral on twitter.
Thanks for coming on this journey with us!
Helen, Steve and all of the crew