Receive Arts for All lottery grant for £83,000 to produce Prophecy ( 1st stage of 3 year community project )

THE FUTURE

3 Small Steps……1 Giant Leap

Step 1 Prophecy (The Past) December 1997

From September to December NoFit State Circus worked in collaboration with community organisations, colleges and individuals to create one of Wales’ largest community shows. The community arts organisations included S.W.I.C.A, The Rubicon, Community Music Wales, and Patua Dance. The Welsh College of Music and Drama, the University of Glamorgan and the multi-media and interactive arts department of the University College of Wales (Newport) encouraged their students to be involved. Individual members of the community were also given the opportunity to take part.

NoFit State Circus, with financial assistance from the Lottery Arts for All fund, and British Steel Community Awards supported these organisations and individuals by funding a series of workshops, providing directorial help, and offering training and facilities. These covered dance, circus, drama, music, visual art, stage management and production.

The various performance groups developed their own thoughts and ideas around the theme of “prophecy” and determined for themselves how they wished to express themselves. A writer and director then developed a narrative that linked these elements. Similarly the artists involved worked with a design team to create a total environment. As well as creating a set to fill the huge warehouse venue, they built interactive art installations. The Circus again provided training, materials, facilities (eg. video editing suite) and technicians.

Fundamental to the success of the project were the services of a highly committed team of professionals. An experienced production team backed up the director, writer and designer. Five actors and eight circus performers were also employed as an integral part of the final show.

Prophecy explored whether our lives today fulfilled the predictions of people in the past and was described as “a roller-coaster ride through time that includes dance, music, interactive technology, video and performance theatre” (Cardiff Post). It involved more than 350 participants and was performed to a total audience of over 1000 people over 5 nights.

Step 2 Now.here(The Present) December 1998

This project will build on the success of Prophecy. Again it will be a multi-media, site-specific spectacle. The basic organisational format will be repeated to consolidate on last year’s achievements. New developments will focus on outreach work, particularly working with groups and individuals not usually involved in the arts. It is also planned to involve groups from outside Cardiff, currently discussions are being held with groups from Swansea, Newport and Merthyr.

Step 3 Untitled (The Future) December 1999 – April 2000

This third production is the final stepping-stone to setting up a network of circus-based community arts activity throughout Wales. To achieve this it is proposed that a trilogy of Prophecy style projects be undertaken around Wales. Three locations would host the projects with involvement from a wide geographical and arts practice base.

Step 3 (The Future) would unfold with each stage of the trilogy developing and adding to the last. The first stage will take place in Cardiff using the human resources developed in Steps 1 and 2. For the following two locations the same professionals and infrastructure would be used. However, workshop programmes would have been set up in each locality to involve community members and groups. These would then form the backbone of the show.

It is planned to purchase a new custom-made big top and supporting equipment to use as a venue for these productions.

The Giant Leap May – October 2000

This brings the new format of show, developed by Steps 1 to 3, in to the core work of the company. A fully professional company in a new big top with new technical resources will create new standards in spectacular theatre. Touring in Wales it will leave an important legacy for performance groups throughout the country creating and developing new audiences. It will create an awareness of the exciting developments in circus and related arts and, hopefully, inspire future practitioners.

It will not just be a first class show, however, as it will also provide a platform for the arts developed by the different communities in the previous years. Hopefully, it will even contain participants from these community shows on a professional level.

In its first year (2000) it will tour to Millennium celebration events around the Principality. At such events and festivals it will allow organisers to programme other performances, exhibitions, etc. in the big top.

[Sponsors were still being hunted for...]

Dear [sponsor]

NoFit State Circus is just about to start creating their second of four large-scale, multi-media circus spectaculars. The first, Prophecy, took place in Cardiff last December. The second will again happen in Cardiff later this year. However, the third and fourth will take place in other locations around Wales in 1999 and 2000.

We are looking for organisations to act as partners in putting on these productions. Basically we are seeking 2 locations to stage large-scale community projects in early 2000, and up to ten Millennium celebration events to host the professional spectacular developed from the community shows. The enclosed document gives further information about this work.

We are seeking funding from the Lottery Board of the Arts Council of Wales through both the Arts for All and the Millennium funds. Arts for All will pay towards the community projects whilst the Millennium fund will subsidise the professional tour. We would expect from any partners a financial commitment and/or help in kind to make these projects a success. We would also welcome a creative input from partners to shape the community project.

If you think you are interested in either project and wish further information please contact either Ali Williams or myself at the address below. A CD-ROM will be available shortly of the Prophecy project.

Yours sincerely

Tom Rack

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

The achievements of NoFit State Circus have been increasingly recognised over the past several years. In 1989 the company won the Welsh Community Business of the Year award and agreed a three year sponsorship package with ASW. Funding from Cardiff City Council, South Glam County Council and the Welsh Arts Council followed. The company holds both the Cardiff and Glasgow Street Entertainment Awards. In 1994 NoFit State Circus won the ABSA/Swalec sponsorship award for the company that has best used its sponsorship money.

The company tours, to great acclaim, throughout the UK in theatres or its own big top providing high quality accessible circus theatre productions. Alongside this the company is heavily involved in large-scale community workshops and shows, including their recent high profile work with Welsh National Opera. We produce our own large-scale community shows. During the past 3 years the company has developed it’s own new innovative style which uses a combination of traditional performance and new technologies.

The company is at present seeking sponsors for Steps 3 and 4 of it’s Stepping Stones Project. The benefits of this project to the community are enormous, however for the project to succeed a large amount of partnership funding needs to be invested into the company to release Lottery Arts for All and Capital grants.

SPONSORS BENEFITS

1. Title rights on £100,000 State of the Art project for an investment of only 10%-25% of the total project cost. The majority of the expenditure will be covered by the Lottery
NoFit State Circus and (your company) present……..

2.Print Branding- Inclusion of your company name on all publicity for the event i.e. posters, leaflets & programs.

3.On site Branding- Your banners, logos etc. can be displayed at the project site.

4.Media Branding- Your name will be mentioned in all press, radio, and TV coverage. We already have a film co. interested in a documentary about the project, and will have a marketing/ press officer working on the project from Sept.

5.Hospitality- You may run VIP functions at the site and will be entitled to free tickets to any of the performances.

6. Sales Promotion- You may display, demonstrate and sell products at the event.

7.You will have the chance to be associated with an innovative, community project and have the opportunity to invest in the local community.

NoFit State Community Circus
Winter Projects.
NoFit State Circus in at present in the middle of a three year large scale community project, this is funded by the Arts Council of Wales lottery dept and other smaller project partners.

The type of production we are undertaking is best described as Mixed means theatre. This genre is defined in the Dictionary of the Avant garde as; “Performance that de-emphasis speech in the course of using a variety of means, including human bodies, light, film, objects and stagecraft.”

We collaborate with;
• visual artists
• musicians
• dance groups
• installation and interactive artists
• designers
• actors
• circus performers
• photographers
The performers and participants come from existing community groups and from the professional and academic community.

We create is an event that is more than a show. For this exciting and innovative style of work we use the term “total theatre”. The audience come in to the space where they encounter installations and other visual arts these works all refer to an implied narrative and are just as significant as the live performance. They work together to give the audience a total experience.

The audience are not always “controlled” they have the option of exploring the space and discovering different elements at different times. Some pieces will happen simultaneously giving the audience the opportunity and the incentive to navigate the space. This will give people the chance to interact with the event and gain a personal perspective.
Some things may be presented more than once perhaps in different location within the space or with a different emphasis.

This format has many practical advantages besides its artistic aspirations. Community groups can be involved in creating their own episodes, which can be worked on independently.
All ranges of ability can be accommodated and their potential maximised. For example if children’s dance troupe or a group of musicians with learning difficulties want to just do a five minute routine this can be presented within a profile they feel happy with.

In essence artists and community members have the creative freedom to create their own work.

Was this successful? I don't have any details, hiring or tour dates, etc.

Durham

NoFit State took part in the Lizard Festival for the Eclipse - in Newnham Park, Devon.

From the old website (2000)

NOFIT STATE CIRCUS 2000 – THE AGENCY

Whether you are booking acts to fill the Big Top, or for your own special event or celebration, NoFit State Circus can provide you with top quality entertainers at competitive prices. From corporate promotions and dinner dances to festivals, fundays, and fetes, we can supply an extensive range of different acts, locally, nationally and internationally.

Performers and Companies

CIRCUS-THEATRE at its best with a 60 minute show from the Bash Street Co. A colourful mix of silent comedy, live music and circus skills combining escapology, stilts, giant unicycles, juggling, acrobatics and a whole lot more in a unique style of knock-out, knockabout circus.

AERIAL TRAPEZE, CLOUDSWING OR WEBROPE outdoor spectacular. Guaranteed to make an audience gasp in amazement and ideal to create a magical centrepiece for any event. Some shows are also suitable for inside the tent.

CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT from our wide and varied repertoire, all of which have been successfully incorporated within festivals and events. Too many shows to mention here, but here’s a few anyway - RISKY IN PINK, FRANCIS MAXEY ON THE SLACKROPE OF FEAR, PADDY THE CLOWN and more. Most children’s shows run for approx. forty minutes, the list is long. Professional delivery of the giggles guaranteed.

ADULT CABARET - the up and coming entertainment option. Mix music, comedy and performance to create a dynamic, exotic and extraordinary night out.

WALKABOUT CHARACTERS - Big, bold and often beautiful. Stilt walking, unicycling, music-making, juggling and generally playing the fool, these attention seekers will animate any environment. Characters can be adapted to fit your theme. Or not Ð the choice is yours.

FIRE FANTASTIC - highly skilled fire jugglers, eaters, swingers and blowers, guaranteed to increase the heat. Give the word ‘fireworks’ a different meaning and let the sparks fly!

BJC #14 in Cardiff

details of event on Gatecrasher site

Go to Show Page

Sci-Circus finished their tour in Cardiff Castle, in July.

The UFO tent had been set up in Cooper's Field, next to the castle, and some of the equipment (like the new rollatrack flooring) was carried straight from one to the other!

ImMortal (the community show) opened a few days later.

Go to Show Page

"In 2002 Circus Space became an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama (CDD), a specialist umbrella institution coordinating the activities of a small group of well-respected schools, including Rada and the Rambert ballet school. This raised the profile of Circus Space as a provider of higher-level vocational training, and cranked up circus arts a notch. Like English or history, it became the subject of a full three-year BA (Hons) degree.
From a long feature about Circus Space in The Telegraph