Spotlight on Community Circus in New Zealand - Media Release

20 May 2011

Most of us know about the circus and Cirque du Soleil but have you ever heard of ‘community circus’? What is community circus, who is it for, what comes out of it and how can it be developed in New Zealand? These questions are the focus of an exciting new research project taking place from April 2011 to September 2012.

Funded by the Lotteries Community Sector Research Fund, the project is a partnership between Circus Kumarani, a Dargaville based community circus provider ( www.circuskumarani.co.nz) and Auckland based researcher Rachael Trotman, with assistance from Alex Woodley (www.pointresearch.co.nz).

Community circus involves undertaking circus activity such as juggling, clowning, trapeze, diabolo, unicycling and stilt walking, with children, young people, disabled people or indeed anyone in the community. It aims to strengthen families and communities as well as those directly taking part. Community circus can build confidence, provide an alternative to traditional sports, support team building and social bonding, change attitudes towards disability, steer kids away from trouble, build minds and bodies and much more – it can hold something for everyone.

The research aims to highlight what community circus in Aotearoa New Zealand can offer and support its professional development. It explores what community circus involves, its reported benefits, good practice in delivering community circus progammes, opportunities to strengthen the funding and resourcing base for community circus and effective tools to evaluate community circus activities.

The research also aims to paint a picture of this sector in New Zealand at present, including its strengths, issues and opportunities, and what is unique or noteworthy in New Zealand in this field, within the international sphere of community circus models and approaches.

Circus Kumarani Board Chairperson Jeanette Wade says that the project was driven by research needs identified by those involved in the sector at national conventions over the last five years. “We know that community circus is a small but lively field in this country and wanted to find out more about it and to help people in this field to expand and develop their work. We know from our own work just how valuable community circus is and wanted to raise its profile”.

Five interrelated research methods are being used in this project.

1. A nationwide online survey of community circus related organisations and individuals.

2. An international literature review.

3. Stakeholder interviews with up to 20 key players nationally and internationally.

4. A workshop at an appropriate community circus related forum in 2011/2012.

5. Three case study evaluations of Circus Kumarani programmes.

The national online survey went out to 114 contacts in April and received 68 responses – though it was circulated more widely so the response rate is unclear. Those responding have provided a lot of rich feedback and the full and summary survey report will be available for viewing on the Circus Kumarani website by the end of June. The research is off to a great start!

If you wish to find out more or to take part in this research please contact Rachael Trotman on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you wish to know more about community circus please contact Jenny Huriwai, Project Coordinator for Circus Kumarani on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 09-439-5152.