29th November 2001

PRESS RELEASE

THE CIRCUS SPACE IS ONLY ARTS ORGANISATION IN INNER CITY 100

The Circus Space in Hackney is the only arts organisation included in the first annual Inner City 100, a national listing of 100 fast-growing companies located exclusively in the UK's inner cities.

Launched by the Rt. Honourable Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in February 2001, the Inner City 100 is an important part of the government's drive to open up enterprise to all through celebrating and showcasing the top 100 business successes in our most challenged inner cities. The Circus Space, a charity dedicated to enabling the creation of contemporary circus, was ranked 19th, with a 381% increase in turnover between 1996 (£327,614) and 2000 (£1,574,238).

The winners were announced at an Awards Ceremony held at the Science Museum in London on Tuesday 27th November. Presenting the awards were the Rt. Honourable Gordon Brown, Executive Director of the New Economics Foundation Ed Mayo, Inner City 100 Director Peter Ramsden, and Group Chief Executive of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Fred Goodwin.

The Right Honourable Gordon Brown said, "We must do away with the old urban myth that our inner cities are areas characterised by social problems and economic blight for businesses to shun, but instead see these areas as places of untapped potential, where there are young people with dynamism looking for work and markets waiting to develop and grow. Inner City 100, which I was delighted to launch earlier this year, shows that even the most disadvantaged inner cities are not the enterprise 'no-go' areas of the past, but the investment opportunities of the future."

Teo Greenstreet, Chief Executive of The Circus Space, said, "We are delighted that our contribution to inner city regeneration has been recognised in this way. Circus training and production requires vast spaces, for acrobatic and aerial performance. The formerly derelict power station we occupy in Hackney, East London is one of the few places that can meet this need. We were able to train the aerialists for the Millennium Show in the Dome, and now offer the only BA (Hons) Degree course in Circus in the UK. We also undertake a lot of training using circus for City of London based companies, and our location is extremely helpful for this."

www.theinnercity100.org

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. To qualify for the Inner City 100 companies had to operate inside eligible postcodes in fifteen cities and:

· be independent (no other company holds a major share except venture capital).
· have a turnover of more than £25,000 in 1996 and £275,000 in 2000.
· have created jobs between these years and employed at least five people in 2000. · act in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

1. Apart from The Royal Bank of Scotland and Natwest, other partners for the Inner City 100 index include HM Treasury, the Small Business Service, the London Business School, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, the Bank of England, the seven regional development agencies, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Merseyside Special Investment Fund, The Prince's Trust, Apax Partners Ltd and Business in the Community.

2. Other winners based in Hackney include Hackney Community Transport, Hoxton Bibliotech and Teswain Business Communications.

3.For more information contact Charlie Holland on 020 7729 9522 or email: charlieholland@thecircusspace.co.uk