This toolkit aims to widen access to circus training and break down the barriers to circus for D/deaf and disabled people.
Extraordinary Bodies, Circomedia, Cirque Bijou, Diverse City and The National Centre for Circus Arts have been working together to identify and overcome these barriers in our own performance and training organisations.
We have found that if D/deaf and disabled people are represented in every aspect of our work; as creatives, as consultants, as workshop facilitators and as circus professionals, then it is inevitable that different choices will be made in the teaching environment. We open up new ways of thinking that improve our practice and our space for everybody.
Our discoveries are the basis of this toolkit, which shares good practice from across the sector. It offers support to our trainers and artists, working with all ages and abilities, and in a variety of contexts, from informal community classes and workshops to degree programmes. Using the toolkit will help you feel more confident when delivering circus to a range of participants in a training environment.
We encourage you to work with D/deaf and disabled artists and participants directly to explore questions and solutions together. Take creative risks and explore variations and opportunities with everyone in the space to create exciting new possibilities. By doing this, circus can be pushed in new directions.
Our knowledge of inclusive circus practice is not exhaustive and of course many other circus trainers, schools and artists already work with diverse and inclusive groups. Together with artists and trainers, we want to move forwards as a sector to start to build a more diverse, just and radical future for circus, one that reflects the world as it really is.
Click on the boxes below to explore key topics or download the full toolkit below.
