“I am very passionate ensuring that art is accessible to all, and CAAA2 gave me the opportunity to perform my show is areas, venues and audiences that I perhaps would not have reached without their support.”

Circus Around And About 2 Artist 

In 2023-24 Extraordinary Bodies was part of a new Arts Council England funded project to tour incredible circus shows  Around and About  the south-west. Accessibility was at the heart of this project: We helped venues create a welcoming space for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent audiences and artists. Our aim was to develop venues’ approach to audience welcome by embedding inclusive thinking in everyday practice. We are happy to share all the learning and resources that emerged below.

“Having people dedicated to that ‘welcome’ and that feeling of inclusivity. So, I guess the learning is you know, make a start. Do a small amount really well and then build from there.”

Anonymous venue partner

Circus Around and About 2 was a 21 month project spearheaded by a partnership between Extraordinary Bodies, Somerset-based Take Art and Portsmouth based Crying Out Loud. We built on a successful 2021 pilot tour across the region and aimed to grow the UK contemporary circus sector by touring extraordinary circus shows to rural and urban communities.