We're still collecting donations
On the 3rd June 2022 we'd raised £9,126 with 124 supporters in 28 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We'll offer free community circus classes and shows to bring more fun, play and wellbeing to families, adults and teenagers in Edinburgh
by Kat Borrowdale in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
On the 3rd June 2022 we'd raised £9,126 with 124 supporters in 28 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We will put on an additional weekly class, create a community mural and have more hours available for artists to train in our rehearsal studio.
What is Cloud Nine and Why Do We Need Your Help?
Early on this year, we were invited to join a community takeover of the old Debenhams unit at Ocean Terminal - creating a temporary home for circus in Leith for around 12 months.
This is an incredible opportunity to bring the magic, creativity and playfulness of circus to people in Edinburgh, and we want to provide:
Our team have put in lots of work already, removing old shop furniture, building cupboards and doors, fixing up the floors and painting the space to make it feel like home. We even have a name for the space: Cloud Nine!
BUT to make the most of this time we need financial assistance, so that we can make our circus home at Cloud Nine ready for workshops, provide specialist equipment and trainers for the free workshops we will put on, and keep the doors open for artists to train and create.
We need to raise £8,000, and with your help we can do it!
Who are we?
Think Circus is a small team of performers, facilitators and creators based in Leith, Scotland. We are brought together by a belief that playfulness, connection and quality are really important and have been collectively creating circus for over a decade. We perform and teach circus all over Scotland, specialising in hula hoops, juggling, stilt-walking and fire/light shows.
Since Think Circus CIC began in 2017, we have delivered workshops and shows across Scotland with over 4,000 participants. We love collaborating with local and national organisations. Our proudest achievement has been delivering our regular programmes to women, young people and families in Leith and Craigmillar.
The Wee Hub project is co-ordinated by THELMA (the Living Memory Association, who run Leith's Wee Museum of Memory).
Why Circus?
Social circus is an established model used all over the world. In practice it means friendly, community-based classes teaching easy, accessible skills like juggling, hula hoop, balancing and spinning. Social circus has been proven to have positive effects on physical literacy, overcoming fear of failure and resilience. See the Research.
We want to offer the benefits of social circus to our community by running regular events - these will be free for everyone. They will include:
With Edinburgh's longest running circus club, Tollcross State Circus, sadly having to close its doors in 2020, we will provide a space for community circus to thrive again.
We will also provide training space for established circus artists in our community to help them level up and create new work. Seeing high-quality circus in our showcases will inspire even more people to take part in the fun of circus!
What will the money you donate go to?
Our budget of £8,000 will cover:
What will happen when the project is over?
At some point in the next 12-18 months, developers will be knocking down the building to turn it into housing. But don't worry, we have a plan to continue Cloud Nine as a Pop-Up Circus, appearing wherever people need more playfulness and fun - that's probably everywhere! In all seriousness, this project will help us prove the concept and show what is possible with a large dedicated space, supporting the future of circus in Edinburgh. Because we don't have long, it's even more important to get Cloud Nine up and running as quickly as possible so more people can benefit.
When are Workshops Happening?
Workshop rewards are flexible on dates and we will endeavour to arrange a time/date that works for each person who selects this reward. Unless otherwise specified workshops will take place at our space in Cloud Nine, in Ocean Terminal. Where we have dates for workshops these are outlined below:
Aerial Workshops with Freya - these are expected to take place on a weekend in September 2022.
Hula Hoop with Kat - this masterclass will take place on a Sunday between 12-3pm, in August or September.
Aerial Silks Course with Hania - this 4-week course will be available on multiple dates between 15th August - 15th November 2022. It will take place at Aerial Art House in Restalrig.
Clown with Gerry - this masterclass will take place on Thursday 16th June between 11.30am-5.30pm, at Cloud Nine. Please note that proof of negative LFT will be required.
Circus Voices with Moira - this workshop will take place on either 20th July or 27th July at Cloud Nine. Adults class (ages 13+) will be 6-8pm and Youth class (age 7-12) in the morning.
This project offered rewards