What will the Ottawa Circus School look and feel like?

The Ottawa Circus School will be a building that operates mainly as a training studio with a high standard of instruction in many different circus art forms. It will be a hub for bringing together professional artists, children and adults. The school will also be a community space with an artistic and recreational focus that will facilitate regular community events such as classes, workshops and jams (open practice sessions for sharing skills, ideas and training). The programs will be available in French and English.

The space will be visually inspiring and welcoming in its design and look. It will invite creative expression and encourage visual artists to partake in the look and feel of the place. Ideally the space will also be transformable into a performance room for regular events. Its aesthetic qualities will make it attractive to the Ottawa community and to visitors. The programs will strive to be affordable for most people. There will be a certain number of subsidized spots for those who need them. The school will be as central as possible in order to be accessible by public transportation and bicycle. It will provide an opportunity for bringing people together; we believe the demand is high for programs that get people out in a shared activity.

A space for circus arts instruction: Our team will have a building erected or transform one into a space able to offer a high standard of instruction and training in the contemporary circus arts. We will have at least 15 to 60 classes per week. We will be able to receive local school groups for workshops and performances and provide spaces for 200 to 600 youths for the summer circus day camp intensives.

A space for the community: A space will be open to the community at certain times to explore or share skills and practices. It will provide at least 4 weekly open community jams at very a very low participation fee.

Support to Ottawa professional artists: This space will benefit artists as well as the community by providing a venue for Ottawa professional artists to teach and perform, thereby supporting them and encouraging them to remain here. Ottawa circus artists will have the opportunity to teach classes of their own curriculum and perform in collective showcases.

A focus on sustainability: The Ottawa circus school wishes to adopt practices that will make it sustainable and self sufficient. Through sound management and budgeting as well as creative marketing and hard work, we will be sure to balance our books.

A possible future model for the Ottawa Circus School

Who will benefit from the school? People of all types, from ages 3 to 93 who want to participate in group activities that are fun, artistic and fitness-oriented and professional artists and instructors who need a venue to elaborate their programs.