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During September and October 2020 Jacksons Lane will be offering eight weeks’ worth of in-kind space – across two studios and the theatre – for circus artists to develop work, thanks to Arts Council England’s emergency funding. As the UK’s leading venue for contemporary circus, we’re committed to providing essential support to artists who need it most and revitalising the contemporary circus sector.

Circus artists need professional, dedicated spaces to be able to train and rehearse properly – most circus skills require height and clearance, and many require riggable spaces. This means during the coronavirus lockdown many circus artists haven’t been able to train or develop their work. And although professional spaces for artists are now starting to reopen, few of them are suitable for circus artists.

So: Jacksons Lane is doing its bit to help the contemporary circus world bounce back, securing its strength and wellbeing through a new future. We’re officially the biggest supporter of contemporary circus in the UK, so it’s our responsibility and our privilege to provide essential, free creation space to the artists that need it.

Then, from November until summer 2021, we’re undergoing a major capital redevelopment project which will transform our building into a comfortable, modern space with artist support at its heart. Many of the improvements will directly help circus artists train and develop their work, like two new riggable studio spaces, soundproofed and modernised studios,  better access for artists with disabilities and a refurbished theatre.

Jacksons Lane’s three spaces will be available in-kind (i.e. at no cost) to circus artists from 10am-5pm, Mon-Fri, from September 1 to October 23. Social distancing measures will be in place in communal spaces. Please note that the theatre is dedicated to aerial circus artists and two studio spaces (Studio 2 and Space 4) are for ground-based work. Tech or lighting facilities will not be available.

To apply:

Circus artists who need space for creation, development or rehearsal of work are invited to apply for space by emailing [email protected]. Please include the following information:

• A brief biography, including your discipline(s)
• A brief description of what you need the space for (experimenting/creating/developing)
• An indication of dates you’re looking for (between September 1 and October 23)

Deadline for application: Tuesday 1 September

Main image: The Brownie Club, an aerial circus production by Jessica Andrade. Photo: Alex Brenner