Circus: Performers, Politics and Pop Culture

Roll Up! Roll Up! This Spring The National Centre for Craft & Design and artsNK celebrate the 250th anniversary of Circus in Britain with a spectacular new show: Circus: Performers, Politics and Pop Culture. Join us for a balancing act of live performance and aerial acrobatics, film, photography, circus ephemera and design.

The exhibition presents elements of circus design through posters, pop culture and costume. Different viewpoints on the subject are uncovered through thematic exploration including Politics; Women in Circus, Equality and Inclusivity. The impact of circus on pop culture is highlighted through film, literature and music. Static exhibits are complemented by an ongoing programme of live aerial acts with star attraction pieces by performers in residence, Claire Crook aka Madam Mango and Rio Willett.

Free drop-in taster sessions will enable you to have a go at your own performance using aerial hoops led by the artsNK Dance Team!

Acts include:

Performers in Residence:

Claire Crook (Madam Mango)
Rio Willett

Costumiers:
Tina Bicât
Becky Truman
Rhiannon Matthews

Visual arts:
Peter Lavery
Luke Stephenson                
Posters from the Richley Archive                                   
Liliana Robins