YOUTH CIRCUS MANIFESTO

http://issuu.com/acapta/docs/national_youth_circus_sector_manife

An example of a manifesto that relates to my own.  

This year, after a two year long dialogue, over 60 youth circus organisations in Australia have released a joint manifesto. Youth Circus Organisations include The Flying Fruit Fly Circus (Albury/Wodonga), Cirkidz (Adelaide), FlipSide Circus (Brisbane), Warehouse Circus (Canberra), National Institute of Circus Arts (Melbourne) are just to name a few.

 There are 6 main ideas outlined in manifesto.

1. To grow participation in youth circus across Australia through greater accessibility. 
2. To lead innovation and investment in youth arts practice. 
3. To support high-quaility and diverse skill development opportunities. 
4. To develop career pathways and life-long learning opportunities within the circus industry.
5. To collaborate through a national network to uphold an excellent standard of service delivery. 
6. To increase awareness of the benefits of youth circus for young people and for circus as a leading art-form in Australia.   

        (Pages 16-21)

Within the manifesto are also testimonials from various artists who began their careers in youth circus'. Each artist praises how their unique experience in youth circus' from all over Australia have enhanced their understanding of the way they train, teach and perform. An exert from the manifesto that illustrates how his youth circus experiences have enriched his life, is from a fellow Fruit Fly Circus graduate Darcy Grant.

"The most important gift that The Flying Fruit Fly Circus gave me as a youth was that is provided me with ongoing engagement with skilled adult practitioners and a life long understanding that hard work pays off"

He further adds "Circus gives great value to the community in that it develops healthy and thinking kids" (page 10, testimonials)

For those who don't know much about The Flying Fruit Fly Circus, I'll give you a little brief.

The Flying Fruit Fly Circus is Australia's leading Youth Circus.

The Flying Fruit Fly Circus began as a project established by members of the Murray River Performing Arts Group in Albury/Wodonga in 1979, during The Year of the Child. Students from local schools aged 7 to 17 were involved in circus workshops and training sessions. Due to the success of this project, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus was born.

35 years later The Flying Fruit Fly Circus still continues produce world class artists, who have gone on to perform with companies such as Circus oz and Cirque du Soleil. Evolving from a simple idea, Fruit Flies is now a serious and world renowned organisation that offers full time circus training and performance opportunities to young people aged 8-18.

Young artists train in a brand new training building famously known as the "Y" every week day from 4-6.30pm and during the day attend our very own Flying Fruit Fly Circus 'School'.      

  I began at the Flying Fruit Fly Circus when I was 8 and graduated in 2012 at age 18. Fruit Flies gave me the best education possible when it comes to circus in Australia. I was exposed to the challenges and hardships associated with circus from a very young age; cementing a determined and thorough work ethic within me. The importance of youth circus has become even more apparent now that I am older and launching myself into the industry, Having Fruit Flies as a background almost gives me a one up on the competition. Circus is second nature to me, and it's unique organisations like Fruit Flies that will continue to produce like minded performers.