Galway Community Circus

We are Galway, we are community, we are circus!

We are Galway Community Circus. We are a circus family where everyone can belong, rooted in the city of the tribes, balanced on the edge of Europe. We reach from São Paulo to Ramallah, with arms wide open welcoming to all. We are a community of many languages where all voices are heard - in an artform that needs no words. We are made strong together, standing on each other’s shoulders. We are daring, throwing ourselves in the sky but our practices are all grounded in the protection of our precious earth. We are brave, we take risks, we soar, and we fall. We get back up again. We learn. We care for each other.

We are creators of magic, made together. We are circus.

We provide access to high-quality subsidised circus arts education through our circus school offering youth and adult programmes and professional training. We also create community programmes in partnership with those who have specific social or developmental needs. We provide artist supports, training and mentoring and lead the development of youth circus in Ireland through our academic, national and international partnerships.

History

Galway Community Circus (formerly Galway Circus Project) was set up in 2002 by a group of circus artists and teachers who wanted to bring the creative, physical and non-competitive art of circus to the young people of Galway. Focusing on the youth circus model, they started hosting mixed skills circus classes for young people, offered opportunities for international youth exchanges so members could travel and meet other youth circus members from circus schools around Europe, and brought the joy of circus to schools, festivals and communities outside of Galway. 20 years later, Galway Community Circus has an annual membership of 500 young people from diverse backgrounds, and still participates in international exchanges and community outreach. Founding members of the Galway Circus Project included Maríosa Hume, Karin Wimmer and Lisa O’Farrell. Lisa is still teaching with the circus today. Strategically funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, the staff team has now grown to twenty including some former youth members who have joined the Circus teaching team in Galway after graduating from professional circus schools in Europe.

Ulla Hokkanen, Executive Creative Director
Brady Hughes, Head of Circus School
Becca Clayton, Director of Projects and Development
Ciarán Bailey, Head of Finance and Governance 

Click here to see our full team.