This project supports circus artists from around the world in creating work that honors Mental Health Month.
Watch our short film!
Download the press release here.
Microgrant Recipients
Sabine Van Rensburg
Sabine Van Rensburg, originally from Cape Town South Africa, is a professional circus artist based in Montreal. Having started her circus career at the Zip Zap Circus School, she is now a graduate from the National Circus School of Montreal, and currently working with The 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts de la Main). Sabine specializes in aerial silks, duo trapeze and acrobatic movement.
Photo Credit: Adrian Gologan
Fiona is a multidisciplinary artist passionate about the research and translation of balancing technique (and the losing of it) into various mediums, including physical comedy, visual arts and participation. She is currently developing her solo show Making Molasses- a tightwire and physical comedy show which seeks to find value in the balancing ‘by-products’ of wobbling and failure. Her aim is to prioritise play over productivity, ask the audience their thoughts on the subject and joyfully disrupt the bond between self-worth and success. Since graduating from Circomedia BA course in 2018, she co-created Bull in a China Shop Project with Valentina Solari to support each other in their circus research and performance, produced surreal comedy show 'Fisheads' with Ayla Windrich and is currently involved in social circus projects for refugees and unaccompanied minors in Athens.
Photo Credit: Cabel Pictures
Jessica grew up in Melbourne, Australia, practising gymnastics, hockey, theatre, music and art, before completing a 3 year Bachelor Degree in Circus at NICA in Australia. She specialised in swinging trapeze and through that was led to her love of flying trapeze, which has more of a team spirit element. Through flying trapeze she found herself traveling the globe, having since worked in Australia, Bali, Thailand, Israel, the USA, England, Scotland, Whales, Turkey and France. she now practises and performs many circus disciplines but is drawn most to those which require collaboration with other people. Acts that require trust and belief in one another, are what she thinks the world needs more of.
Photo Credit: David Treadwell
Sarah is a Wisconsin-born artist, an alumni of Tyler School of Art (MFA) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison's (BFA) visual art departments. Major works include "Ripple/Quake" (2019); “Things That Survived The Winter” (2017); “Wind At My Back” (2012); “Specter Animalia (2010); and solo show “A House For Birds” (2014). Sarah was also the winner of the VSA Arts national young emerging artist award for artists with disabilities in 2008, for her work with performance, sculptural wearables, and video.
Photo Credit: Elliot Pollinsky
Matylda Górska
Matylda is a self-taught performer with 10 years of experience. Within her career she’s been performing in streams of contemporary circus, dance, movement theatre and fireshow. She won the 1st prize in the Polish National Circus Competition “Cyrkulacje” in 2016. After which, she joined the Kejos Theater company and co-created one of the first contemporary circus plays in Poland, “Nevertown”. Currently she keeps creating and performing in different projects (solo, duo, groups) along with teaching circus and movement. Her shows and workshops tour all over, e.g. in Israel, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland.
Photo Credit: Pawel Karolak
Applications are now closed. If you are a circus artist seeking funding, we’ve compiled this list of funding opportunities that are likely applicable to circus artists:
Artist Relief: Artist Relief will distribute $5,000 grants to artists facing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19
Foundation for Contemporary Arts: Disbursing one-time $1,500 grants to artists who have had performances or exhibitions canceled or postponed because of the pandemic
Other helpful resources:
CircusTalk: COVID-19 Resources Around the World
Americans for the Arts: COVID-19 Resource and Response Center
303 Magazine: A Guide to Resources for Artists and Creatives Affected by the Coronavirus