Belfast Community Circus
This text is an extract from their webside:
The Belfast Community Circus was established in 1985 thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of Donal McKendry and Mike Moloney who found themselves introducing community circus to Northern Ireland during a time when there was a desperate need for positive shared experiences for young people from different communities.
As in so many cases throughout the world, the lure of the circus has proved irresistible and the momentum gained has been so unstoppable that, nineteen years down the line Belfast Community Circus finds itself in the position of being the most prolific youth and community arts organisation in Northern Ireland.
The mission statement of the Belfast Community Circus commits to:
"developing circus arts to as high a standard as possible whilst making participation and viewing as accessible as possible."
To this end, the Belfast Community Circus acts not only as a vehicle for teaching children and young people in some of the most needy communities in Northern Ireland, but also as a training school for professional teachers and performers of circus arts. In addition, the Circus acts as a promoter for performers, in the form of Premiere Circus, and as a venue to host visiting and indigenous circus productions.
As well as this, Belfast Community Circus boasts a cross community Youth Circus which has been run continuously throughout the troubled times of the past nineteen years providing training and performance opportunities for young people aged 8-18 irrespective of their backgrounds. Since 1999, the School has been resident in purpose built circus premises in a neutral area right in the heart of the city of Belfast. If you are ever in the neighbourhood, please call in for a guided tour and a chat.
In the past five years, the Belfast Community Circus has been awarded the highest arts award in Northern Ireland, the Bass Ireland Arts Award for the work with adults in pioneering circus theatre in Ireland. In 1999, Belfast Community Circus was one of the recipients of the final Guardian Jerwood Award for Excellence in The Community - a UK wide award.
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