Events

The ISACS Network is delighted to announce that Circus Explored will be back for Cruinniú na nÓg 2023, and this year it will be an all-island project linking Youth Circus Schools across 32 Counties.

Circus Explored aims to connect young circus enthusiasts and forge links between youth circus organisations from all corners of the island through the ISACS Network as part of the Shared Island Initiative.

In 2023, the first Circus Explored Youth Exchange kicked off on April 29, when young circus delegates from Galway Community Circus, Cloughjordan Circus Club, and Circus Factory Cork travelled to Belfast to attend Festival of Fools and meet their peers from Circusful and In Your Space in Derry.

Circus Explored is supported by the Creative Ireland Programme as part of Cruinniú na nÓg 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.

Circus Explored 2023

Building on last year’s success, in 2023, over 4,000 free Spinning Plates will be delivered across the island. Each set will also be accompanied by a postcard featuring a QR code linking to video tutorials for community members to learn how to spin a plate with young circus practitioners from the partnering organisations.

In addition, the ISACS Network is calling out to all its members to become part of an artist directory to support local authorities in delivering workshops for their local communities.

Furthermore, there will be cross-community events connecting young people from both sides of the border with members of the community circus organisations from north and south meeting for creative collaboration at each of the following events:

• Festival of Fools circus and outdoor arts festival presented by Circusful in Belfast, April 29th – May 1st 2023
• Mayhem – Galway Community Circus youth circus festival, 26th – 29th May 2023.

Island-wide Circus Explored Open Days | June 10th

The initiative will be delivered in association with Creative Ireland and in partnership with  Circus Factory Cork, Cloughjordan Circus Club, Dublin Circus Project, Galway Community Circus, Circusful in Belfast, and In Your Space in Derry.

The overall Circus Explored initiative will conclude with an island-wide day of activity in each partner centre on Saturday, June 10th, to celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg:

• Galway Community Circus, Shantalla
• Dublin Circus Project, Cherry Orchard
• Circus Factory Cork, Cork
• Cloughjordan Circus Club, Tipperary
• In Your Space Circus, Derry, Raphoe & Newtownstewart
• Circusful, Belfast