Head, Heart, Balance: The Art of Funambulism Conference ^expired Free

Galway Community Circus, The Serious Road Trip Romania and École de Cirque de Bruxelles will host a virtual conference focused on funambulism, the art of walking on a wire with a balancing pole.

Over two days, the conference will feature live performances from Brussels and Helsinki as well as roundtable discussions with artists, teachers, participants and academics.

Day 1 will feature two sessions, kicking off the conference with the launch of the results of Université Libre de Bruxelles’ research on the neurological effects of funambulism practice on the brain. The second session of the day will reflect on the impact and legacy of Wires Crossed and the Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, and will feature the premiere of ‘Step Off’, a short film by young Galway Community Circus members commissioned by Galway 2020.

Day 2 will feature three sessions, beginning with an exciting and rare conversation between five professional funambules talking about life as an artist of great heights. The second session of the day will feature a conversation centred around the amateur practice of funambulism and discussion around how participants trained to teach this art form, and will feature a special performance by Finnish tightwire artist Hanna Moisala. To close the conference, we will join our partners live in Brussels for the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the European Centre of Funambulism which will feature a highwire crossing of Brussels Canal.

Head, Heart, Balance: The Art of Funambulism Conference is part of a Creative Europe funded co-operation project between Ecole de Cirque de Bruxelles, Galway Community Circus, The Serious Road Trip Romania, Université libre de Bruxelles and the European Funambulism Network that supports artistic and participatory excellence in funambulism.