NEWS RELEASE
Embargoed until 19th September 2002

Equestrians, Clowns and Aerialists win Jerwood Circus Awards 2002

Lady Hollick, member of the National Council of the Arts Council of England and Chair of the London Regional Council, announced the winners of the second annual Jerwood Circus Awards at a ceremony at The Circus Space, Hoxton, London on 18th September 2002. The awards - one of £10,000 and two of £5,000 - give talented circus artistes the opportunity and time to develop innovative performance projects, which will premiere at The Circus Space in a season of new work from the 9th April 2003. In addition The Circus Space will provide some space for rehearsal, offering award-winners a wide range of support.

The winners this year are:
£10,000 Jerwood Circus Award
Artists: Giffords Circus
Show: Living Dolls

Giffords Circus was founded in 2000 by Nell & Toti Gifford. It has toured for three seasons and entertained over 100,000 people. The award will enable characters performed in 2002 at Giffords Circus to be developed and will be an exploration of the theme of living dolls. Comedy and pathos will be explored through the medium of a set of doll characters and two horses trained specifically to work with the human artistes. 'Living Dolls' combines traditional circus skills- aerial acrobatics (silks and trapeze), acrobatics on horse back, singing and presentation with the iconic circus imagery of children's story books. The act will be performed at Giffords Circus in their 16 week season in 2003.

£5,000 Jerwood Circus Award
Artist: Gisele Edwards
Show: Out of Line

Gisele Edwards trained in physical theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and in circus at The Circus Space. She has subsequently gone on to perform with Scarabeus, f/z productions, Momentary Fusion, Skinning The Cat, Shunt as well in the Millennium Dome show. Taking as its opening the simple setting of two physical lines- one horizontal (tightrope) and one vertical (corde lisse) and a figure sitting in front of a typewriter, 'Out of line' will detail a writers exploration and journey.

£5,000 Jerwood Circus Award
Artist: Hoax Productions
Show: Raw Beef

Hoax productions is a young Bristol-based circus-theatre company whose work is based upon a unique fusion of physical theatre, clowning and circus. Founded by Ivan Marcos and Alistair Seed, Hoax has performed at venues throughout Britain and Spain. 'Raw Beef' is a clown show which will be based on consecutive three minute rounds, with a minutes respite between each. Bells and buzzers mark these periods of time.

 

Announcing the winners of this year's awards, Lady Hollick said "Circus has the ability to amaze and engage audiences, its artists demonstrate outstanding creativity and courage. Circus has huge potential for collaborative ways of working and can be incorporated into many forms of performance and entertainment, from contemporary dance to traditional theatre.

It also has a particular part to play in tackling social issues such as access and inclusion and can instil confidence and encourage people to overcome their fears. Circus is part of our heritage; it is rooted in tradition, highly visual and can be appreciated across all age groups and cultures….

…. The merger of the other Regional Arts Boards and the Arts Council of England in April 2002 to create a new, single arts funding and development organisation, will provide a great opportunity for Circus to flourish and to enable it to achieve the status and standards it enjoys outside the UK".

Alan Grieve, Chairman of the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, said "Contemporary circus is not a new arrival but a vibrant manifestation of what circus has always been. As one of the oldest performing arts circus has inspired great artists - Picasso, Chagall, Miro and many others. Circus has its place in art history and The Circus Space is playing a lead part in lifting the curtain to show contemporary talents. It is a unique sponsorship which continues to excite and surprise us."

Charlie Holland, Programme Director at The Circus Space, said " We received thirty-two applications for the three awards. We look forward to presenting the winning productions at The Circus Space in April 2003".

ENDS

For further information and images regarding Giffords Circus please contact Annabel Robinson at FMCM. Tel: 020 7405 7422 or email: annabel@fmcm.co.uk

Notes for Editors

Further information on the award winners and The Circus Space's New Work Season can be obtained by writing to Lee Kendall, ACDC Administrator, The Circus Space, Coronet Street, London N1 6HD, or email lee@thecircusspace.co.uk . The season runs from the 9th -26th April 2003.

The Jerwood Circus Awards are a unique collaboration between The Circus Space and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation. The awards are made annually for the creation of new work and are open to the circus profession as a whole.

The 2001 Jerwood Circus Award winners were Godiva Productions, f/z productions and Kicking the Moon. Images and information relating to the Jerwood Circus Awardees 2001 can be found at www.thecircusspace.co.uk under 'Archive' and then going 'Jerwood Circus Awards- Archive'

The Circus Space offers the UK's only BA Honours Degree in Contemporary Circus (in partnership with the Central School of Speech and Drama) and has a full Artist & Company Development Centre programme for established and aspiring performers. The Circus Space hosts an annual season of new and innovative work, which this year featured work from 2001 Jerwood Awards Winners Godiva Productions, f/z, Kicking the Moon; plus The Generating Company.

The Circus Space is a charity (no.1001839) and is funded by London Arts, to see further details of the facilities and courses on offer at The Circus Space visit www.thecircusspace.co.uk

The Jerwood Charitable Foundation is dedicated to imaginative and responsible funding and sponsorship of the arts, education, design and other areas of human endeavor and excellence. As well as the Circus Awards the Jerwood Charitable Foundation supports a series of other initiatives including, with its parent Foundation, the creation and support of the Jerwood Space in central London, a unique resource housing rehearsal facilities, art gallery and Cafe 171.

Other annual awards from The Jerwood Charitable Foundation include: The Jerwood Painting Prize, The Jerwood Applied Arts Award, The Jerwood Prison and Community Art Award, The Jerwood Sculpture Award, The Jerwood Drawing Prize, The Jerwood Portrait Commission and The Jerwood Choreography Awards. The Jerwood Charitable Foundation also supports and sponsors annual schemes including the Jerwood Young Directors Award Scheme at the Young Vic; the Jerwood Young Designers at The Gate Theatre; the Jerwood New Playwrights at the Royal Court; the ENO Jerwood Young Singers Programme.

For further information on The Circus Space please contact Lee Kendall
Tel: 020 7613 4141 extension 248
Fax: 020 7729 9422
Email: lee@thecircusspace.co.uk

For further information on The Jerwood Charitable Foundation please contact Roanne Dods
Tel: 020 7388 6287
Fax: 020 7388 6289
www.jerwood.org
Email: roanne.dods@jerwood.org