Australia Council to invest $2.3 million in Circus and Physical Theatre in Victoria

September 22, 2022

The Australia Council will this year support circus and physical theatre in Victoria through a targeted investment of $2.3 million.

The Victorian Circus and Physical Theatre project investment program will support 21 recipients, including individual artists, groups and organisations working across circus and physical theatre. Among the highlights, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus will work with emerging and established circus artists to develop original new works through an incubator program.

There is also support for Australia’s only First Nations-led circus company Na Djinang Circus, along with physical theatre company BoilOver which promotes inclusion for artists with disability.

A Good Catch Circus and One Fell Swoop Circus will create new aerial and acrobatic circus works of scale. Women’s Circus will receive support to build organisational capacity, and the National Institute of Circus Arts will deliver a Circus and Physical Theatre Hub and Marketplace as part of Melbourne Fringe 2023.

Among the individual recipients, Wiradjuri artist Dylan Singh will premiere a new performance work bringing together traditional and contemporary First Nations concepts. Sparkle Society will tour work to seven communities in regional Victoria and Nicci Wilks will undertake a two-year program of creative practice and professional development.

The Australia Council will also provide significant investment in a program of capacity building initiatives over two years delivered in partnership with Theatre Network Australia, including the establishment of a national Australian First Nations Circle for the Circus and Physical Theatre sector, delivery of a Circus and Physical Theatre Independent Producers Initiative, and facilitation of a Circus Rigger Career Pathways Program.

Australia Council Head of Theatre Annette Madden notes “through this investment program we have seen the depth of artistic ambition and skill that lies within the circus and physical theatre sector in Victoria. We believe that this strategic investment can facilitate artistic outcomes and collaboration and support the capacity and sustainability of the Victorian sector into the future. We are thrilled to partner with TNA to deliver these important capacity building initiatives which seek to address specific, identified needs within the sector.”

These initiatives are being delivered by the Australia Council as part of the broader Victorian Circus and Physical Theatre Strategy 2022-2024, under the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework.

A full list of recipients can be found here

Image: Australia’s only First Nations-led circus company Na Djinang Circus Credit: @brigbeephoto

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