History

Women’s Circus began as a project of Footscray Community Arts Centre in 1991. In 2003, the Women’s Circus became an incorporated, non-profit organisation and remained at Footscray until relocating to the Drill Hall in West Footscray in September 2006.

Across 14 years, the Circus has:

• presented 15 major large-scale new works in Melbourne. The total audiences for these shows are estimated at over 40,000 people.
• trained over 1600 women
• toured to Beijing as part of the UN’s Conference on Women in 1995
• published a book, Women’s Circus: Leaping Off the Edge, Spinifex Press (1997)
• held a 10 year retrospective exhibition at the Victorian Arts Centre in 2001
• been the subject of an international documentary Leaping Off the Edge (2002)
• won a Green Room Award for Outstanding Contribution for Melbourne Fringe 2001, nominated for 5 awards for Outstanding Fringe production, and most recently won the Melbourne Award for Community Development in 2005
• created quality performances for audiences seeking an exciting, provocative, theatrical experience outside a traditional, proscenium arch venue

Women’s Circus has provided a platform for professional training for performers, riggers, directors and arts managers who have gone on to key positions within arts organizations including NICA, Circa, Circus Oz and Arts Victoria.

The Circus’ model of arts practice has been replicated by companies such as Vulcana Women’s Circus (Brisbane), POW – Performing Older Women’s Circus, Footscray Flyers (5-14 yrs), and Westside Circus (youth arts).