Cirkus Workshop - Creating a Common Cultural Arena

Children & youth

Jan 11

Who: Fyllingsdalen Theater

What: Cirkus workshop

Where: Bergen

Project period: 2023

"Nobody gets left behind"

Our overarching motto and motivation for the project is: "Nobody gets left behind". And precisely because circus as an art form has an immediate and universal appeal to everyone, regardless of culture, language, age, physical function, gender and social status, it is a perfect combination. A circus performance can also be experienced and interpreted in the light of one's own experiences and background. The Enger committee points out that integration is dependent on a cultural fellowship, that all groups in society must be given the opportunity to develop the form of culture that they see themselves as a part of, while at the same time giving them the opportunity to participate in cultural common arenas. The committee also points to challenges linked to the lack of diversity in Norwegian cultural life; we still have a way to go. Including people regardless of cultural and/or social background is therefore important to us, and through our project we can actively do something about this issue.

Removing Linguistic Barriers

Cirkus Balance wants to create a contemporary circus performance with two circus artists. The performance will be without language and in that way it will remove linguistic barriers. To carry out the performance we will use equipment that fits in a van, so the performance and workshop can be easily transported around Bergen, and Vestland county. We want to seek out people where they are, to make sure that as many children and young people as possible will get the opportunity to participate. The project can be carried out anywhere, outside or inside.

An important offer for children

Seeing how circus can be interpreted based on one's own understanding, and creates a common cultural arena - across all groups in society, we feel that the project promotes inclusion and diversity. And because the offer suits everyone, regardless of culture, language, age, physical function, gender and social status, we believe that it is an important offer that will make huge numbers of children and young people thrive. By offering a free performance and workshop we want to lower the threshold for participating in cultural activities, which we believe will build bridges to future cultural events. In addition to a performance, where the aim, among other things, is to arouse curiosity and to create engagement among children and young people, we also want to let them vent their curiosity by letting them try their hand at circus arts after the show. Here the artists themselves will teach them the arts in a simplified form, intended to create a sense of mastery and a sense of unity among the participants. The artists have experience in teaching through cultural schools and other teaching plans, and will adapt the plan based on each individual's level so that children who show up get to experience the greatest possible degree of mastery. We also want to plant a seed of curiosity for a new performing art form, where several of the performing art forms can be developed by children and young people on their own after a short introduction from professionals. Several of the art forms do not depend on a lot of equipment, usually only one’s own body. In this way, the project can engage in physical activity after the project has finished.