We are delighted to share that we have been awarded crucial funding support from the Arts Council and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
The news is part of today’s announcement from DCMS of the recipients of the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund, which sees over 2,700 organisations being offered nearly £400 million in grants and loans to help the culture and heritage sector reopen and recover.
This money will support Cirque Bijou and Extraordinary Bodies to transition back to full operation and enable the continuation of work and development on our new Big Top tent, which we are purchasing alongside our partners Diverse City.
We are planning to bring a test Big Top here to Bristol for three weeks in the summer (in partnership with Lost In Translation Circus) to act as a fully accessible and Covid-secure training and support space. We’ll be rehearsing shows and working with partners and artists to prepare for the reopening of live events. Who knows, we may even be able to open up a few performances to the public as well!
In addition to helping Cirque Bijou and Extraordinary Bodies for a three-month period, this work offers support to more than 150 freelance artists and production crew.
This support will allow us to take a deep breath as we begin to prepare ourselves, our artists and importantly our audiences for reopening shows. We are grateful for the support from DCMS at a crucial moment for all of us
Billy Alwen, Co-Artistic Director
We are absolutely thrilled to receive this funding – after such a long and difficult period, it is fantastic to be able to focus our energies on such an exciting project, and one that will help us all restart and reopen live events in a safe and secure way.
What a way to start a long weekend!
Photo Credit: Dom Moore