National Centre for Circus Arts given capital boost by Arts Council England
- £113,000 pledges by Arts Council England to support next generation of Circus artists
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The National Centre for Circus Arts is to receive funding from Arts Council England’s Small Capital Grants scheme.
The £113,000 award will mostly be invested in access and sustainability infrastructure. Solar panels, secondary glazing and LED lighting will be installed in the organisation’s home, a converted Victorian power station in Shoreditch, London.
Other facilities such as outdoor surfaces, accessible toilets and bicycle parking will be also be upgraded. The improvements to the site will benefit the 1000 artists and students who use the centre each week. It will also help the National Centre to develop a more competitive offer to business and corporate communities, increasing revenue earning opportunities for the centre.
Joyce Wilson, Area Director, London, Arts Council England, said: "The National Centre for Circus Arts is the UK's foremost circus training institution and development centre. We are pleased that our small scale capital grant will support improvements to the building and ensure its facilities, courses and schemes are accessible to everyone."
Arts Council England yesterday announced that the National Centre would receive this important funding as part of a scheme which will provide over £9.5m funding to some of the UK’s most prestigious arts organisations.
Now in its 25th year, the organisation, formerly known as Circus Space, launched its “National” status in 2014 following recognition from the government of its achievement to date and the value of the Circus industry to the UK’s cultural economy.
Circus in the UK has changed dramatically over the years and the National Centre hopes to create a culture of Circus in the UK which rivals countries such as France and Canada (whose Cirque du Soleil is worth over $1bn).
Jane Rice-Bowen, Joint Chief Executive at the National Centre, said: “We are delighted that the National Centre for Circus Arts has been awarded an Arts Council England capital grant. The funding will go towards making our facilities even more accessible and sustainable. This is another important step as we develop a culture of Circus in the UK.”
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Notes to Editors
Website: www.nationalcircus.org.uk
Twitter: @NationalCircus #NationalCircus
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The National Centre for Circus Arts
Head of Marketing & Communications
Philip Nichols
philip@circusspace.co.uk
020 7613 8257
Communications Manager
Jessica Ziebland
jessica@circusspace.co.uk
020 7613 8270
About the National Centre for Circus Arts
Opened in 1990 as “Circus Space”, The National Centre for Circus Arts is one of the best circus schools in the world and it is at the heart of a network of Circus organisations that are leading the renaissance of Circus in the UK. The organisation champions and supports excellence in Circus Arts in the UK and around the world. It is helping to change the perception of circus in the UK by providing an unparalleled launch-pad for present and future performers, with over 40 circus companies accessing studio time and funding through the National Centre for Circus Arts.