Local Situation + Outreach: Spreading the word
by Serafima Kiseleva,
writing from Upsala Circus
Welcome to Russia. If you look at a circus field now probably your eye would catch dozens of traditional circus troupes and one or two contemporary. It’s almost funny because in the very beginning when the traditional circus started to gain a new form the first professional circus school was established in Moscow, Russia and it was governmental and quite progressive. Russia was ahead of everybody. It didn't last for long though.
What does Upsala Circus do nowadays to be visible and how do people understand it?
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“Reach out with your texts/videos/pictures when you have a physical appearance. It’s good to have an interesting blog but if you are talking about contemporary circus, and all you can give is some historical info and references for what is elsewhere and not reachable then all will be read and forgotten.” - says Katya, the PR-manager of Upsala.
The circus is constantly connecting events which are happening with the goal of raising the awareness of the contemporary circus.
We don’t have that many people interested in circus, nor artists, nor public.
That’s why it was so pleasant to discover that Upsala Circus has organised a professional troupe. Troupe of people whose lives were touched by the circus and were never let go of. Troupe of people who now represent the circus for the outside world.
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Apart from that there are many projects considering the publicity and public perception. For example, now Upsala Circus is running the “Circus in Town” project which is to bring Upsala back to the roots, to the streets of Saint-Petersburg, to catch an eye of a viewer, to touch hearts and to win people over.
Let’s wish them luck and strength to continue spreading the circus word around.
Image from 'Priehali' / 'They have arrived' show presented by Upsala Circus. Photo by Alexandra Berezovskaya
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Published on 14.06.2021
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NHLP has been made possible with the support of Nordisk Kulturfond and Nordic culture Point, Nordic Council of Ministers, and Lund Municipality