In early November, the ISACS Network hosted the ISACS Pro Programme at the National Circus Festival of Ireland 2023.

Our Tralee journey started with ISACS participating in the Future Producers Day in partnership with Promenade, Fidget Feet, Split Second, NCFI & Loosysmokes on November 2nd.

This was followed by the arrival of our guests, International Programmers invited by ISACS to attend the NCFI – with support from Culture Ireland- and establish connections with Irish Street Arts, Circus, and Spectacle artists. They had the opportunity to explore the Dingle Peninsula and meet & network while enjoying the NCFI festival programme, which was filled with shows and performances by ISACS and international artists.

The ISACS Artists featured in the NCFI programme included:

Jenny Tufts, Judenald Marcus Penders, Freddy Burrows, and Sean McIrlith performing as part of the Spéirial show – produced, curated and presented by Elysia McMullen as part of the Future Producers Programme.

Aisling Ní Cheallaigh and Darragh McLoughlin individually performed in Siamsa  Tíre – Aisling as part of the Gala show, and Darragh presented “Stickman”.

Furthermore, we were delighted to host the SHARE Open Forum again and provide two emerging ISACS artists with the DELVE bursary.

SHARE Open Forum is a space for our members to bring their projects, dreams, and challenges to the table and share ideas and solutions with fellow artists and arts professionals in Tralee. This year, we were thrilled to have Brenda Long, Becca Clayton and Ulla Hokkanen from Galway Community Circus, Christopher McAuley, Kath Gorman & Ciara O Mahony from Promenade Ireland, Cormac Mohally from Circus Factory Cork,  Aoife Raleigh from Dublin Circus Project, Aisling Ní Cheallaigh, Ali Stanger from Cikada Circus, and our exciting international programmers sharing their new projects and ideas with our community.

Lastly, we loved attending the Parade on Friday night with the wider Tralee community and beautiful fireworks.

Here is what our artists and guests said about their experience:

I was very satisfied with the ISACS pro programme at NCFI. It was an indispensable opportunity to hear about and get updates from a wide range of projects in a short and efficient manner. It was also great to be able to meet and talk directly with the people about their projects.

-Declan Mee – Katapult Berlin, Germany

It was wonderful to be invited to join and so great to hear about all of the amazing stuff going on across Ireland. Really useful and relevant for our own sector here in Wales.

-Zoe Munn – GreenMan Festival, UK

 

I found the Forum a really useful tool to meet artists and projects.

-Marta Barceló – C.IN.E. and Ciclop Festival, Balearic Islands

 

I was very pleased with the reception and the ability of the ISACS staff to create useful relationships for the future.

-Aurelio Rota – Lonato in Festival, Italy

 

It was really great to attend and to meet a very varied group of people and exchange experiences and ideas and to see and hear what other people are doing.

-Adrian Lochhead – Eden Arts, UK