"Sometimes you don’t know whose life you’re making a positive impact on or whose life you might be changing with the work that you do." - IYSC Audience Member

IN YOUR SPACE CIRCUS

STRATEGIC PLAN 2024 ~ 2028

BRINGING JOY, AMBITION AND OPPORTUNITY

IN YOUR SPACE CIRCUS

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO...

Derry-based In Your Space Circus, is a circus school and street theatre company, which works with artists (local, national and international) with a wide range of skills. We work individually and in collaboration with other organisations and art forms to deliver projects which involve circus skills, street theatre, visual arts, music, costume-making, and theatre. We are one of the most innovative and dynamic arts organisations in Derry and the North-West of Ireland, utilising circus and street theatre as a vehicle for personal, social and community development. We are passionate about Contemporary Circus and Street Theatre. Circus is incredibly exciting, combining high skill with comedy and wonder. Because of the unique ability of circus to support personal, social and community development, it is now being recognised as a powerful tool for change. Street Theatre ensures there are fewer barriers and more opportunity for audiences who may not ordinarily engage with the arts to feel welcome and valuedin their participation.

We pride ourselves on creating (and curating) acts, shows and installations which are unique and provide meaningful engagement. This allows our audiences to escape the challenges of day-to-day life, if only for a moment, and invites them to play, be silly and make memories together.
IYSC is a charitable company limited by guarantee with a board of directors. Annually we work with around thirty regular freelance artists, and another 120 occasional freelance artists.

Regular core funding is provided by the Arts Council for Northern Ireland (ACNI) and Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC).
Other core and project funding comes from ACNI, DCSDC, trusts and foundations, government departments, sponsorship, donations and earned income.

"Circus has reinforced my children's spirit of determination, increasing their self esteem and self confidence. In addition to creating a beautiful contagion effect for those we are around entering the magical world of circus"

Youth Circus Participant Parent

OUR CURRENT ACTIVITIES

IYSC CIRCUS SCHOOL – CENTRAL CIRCUS

Focused on making life better for the participants, our Central Circus School consists of:

Peas in a Pod (for 1–3-year-olds)
Seedlings Circus (for 4-8 year olds)
Youth Circus (for age 9 plus)
Adult Circus.

We also have a youth performance troupe which performs across Northern Ireland, a master-class series, and a trainee trainer’s programme providing a career pathway for young people in circus and the arts. 150 regular members access our classes each week. This number is growing!

IYSC CIRCUS SCHOOL – SOCIAL CIRCUS OUTREACH

We work across Northern Ireland and Ireland in community contexts through our portfolio of outreach projects.
This includes:

CircAbility - targeting those with disabilities,
General Outreach - targeting disadvantage,
Silver Circus - targeting the growing 50+ population,
Circus Together - bringing people together from different cultural backgrounds to address mental health and peace and reconciliation themes.

Our outreach projects currently reach approximately 5,000 people each year.

IYSC PERFORMANCE AND STREET THEATRE PRODUCTION

We produce high quality circus and street theatre acts, shows, installations and large-scale outdoor spectacle. This provides paid creative opportunities for local artists and raises our unrestricted income to support our charitable projects. Our work is highly visual and devised and created with the outdoor audience in mind, often crossing barriers such as language, background and ability to provide meaningful engagement to the public audience.

Often working in collaboration with others, we deliver approximately 500 performances each year, reaching audiences greater than 350,000.
IYSC also produces and curates ambitious new work with local and international artists and Companies. We are passionate about collaborating with other artforms (Visual Arts, Dance, Music, etc) and our expertise in blending these with our own disciplines (Circus & Street Theatre) has earned us a great reputation for creating bespoke, accessible and quality programming across Festivals and Events throughout NI.

CARNIVAL OF COLOURS: ANNUAL CIRCUS, ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL

Historically taking place in St Columb’s Park, we relocated our annual Festival to Derry City Centre in 2021, incorporating the City’s stunning built and cultural heritage as a backdrop for our local and international programme of Circus, Arts and Music.

IYSC has public and voluntary stakeholders who have an interest in the work of the organisation. When asked their thoughts on the strengths of In Your Space Circus responses included:

Artistic freedom • Collaboration
Innovation • Carnival
Artists • Circus education
Talent development • Unique events
Breadth of work • Young people

The organisation is conscious of a challenging and rapidly changing external environment and the need to create ambitious plans to take the organisation to a new level. The draft strategy that follows has been developed from several one-day workshops with staff, artists, trainers and directors. The Director also carried out a number of one-to oneconsultation sessions with a range of stakeholders.

"What a bright, positive, fun, professional, varied, entertaining, buzz. It showed off the inner-city area beautifully. And also showcased local talent and businesses. Looking forward to next year already. Doctors should prescribe it."

Carnival of Colours Audience Member

OUR VISION

Our Vision: A vibrant, connected and thriving community where artists, participants and audiences have the space to explore and develop their creative talents through circus, street theatre and play.

OUR MISSION

Our Mission: To unleash the power of circus and street theatre, igniting the imagination and transforming lives and communities.

OUR VALUES

THE THINGS THAT DRIVE US.

Circus as a vehicle for social change
We believe in the power that circus and street theatre has in bringing about personal and social change and building vibrant and supportive communities.
Creativity and play
We believe that through creativity and play everyone can flourish and express their unique selves.
Lifelong learning
We believe in using the medium of circus to make sure people can continue to learn throughout their lives.
Inclusion
We are committed to delivering street theatre and circus in highly creative and inclusive ways, ensuring meaningful engagement for everyone, no matter what their age, ability or background.
Collaboration
We are passionate about harnessing creative opportunities and being more effective by working together with others.
Excellence and Innovation
We are committed to ensuring that everything we do and create is of the highest quality and continually innovates and improves.

Our Goals 2024 - 2028

GOAL 1: Our Home
To ensure we successfully move into the Cathedral School and develop a home which meets the needs of our artists, participants and audiences.
GOAL 2: Performance and Events
To increase the ambition and quality of our performance and producing work.
GOAL 3: Education and Training
To increase progression routes for everyone to have the opportunity to develop circus and street theatre skills at their own level.
GOAL 4: Social Circus Outreach
To harness the power of circus to support the health and wellbeing of people and communities, and encourage them to reach their potential.
GOAL 5: People and Culture
To ensure that we have the right people to support us in achieving our goals, and that they are supported, nurtured, and given opportunities to grow.

Realising our Goals

GOAL 1: Our Home
To ensure we successfully move into the Cathedral School and develop a home which meets the needs of our artists, participants and audiences.
Between 2024 and 2028 we will:

Agree the terms of a 25-year lease for the Cathedral School building.
Develop an ambitious fundraising strategy and action plan for the capital development.
Develop appropriate business plans and feasibility studies to ensure the capital project is sustainable and that the building will support income generation and robust business models.
Develop the Cathedral School ensuring best practise in relation to conservation and sustainability values.
Become the custodian of this incredible heritage space and opportunity.

GOAL 2: Performance and Events
To increase the ambition and quality of our performance and producing work.
Between 2024 and 2028 we will:

Attract new artists to work with IYSC, and retain existing artists, by providing space to play, create, work and develop.
Diversify IYSC’s offering by producing new performance work which supports artists’ individual talents and passions and increases our quality and range of artistic products.
Continuing to collaborate locally, nationally and internationally to create unique work and provide exciting opportunities for multi-discipline artists.
Develop the ambition of Carnival of Colours through new collaborations and innovative programming.

GOAL 3: Education and Training
To increase progression routes for everyone to have the opportunity to develop circus and street theatre skills at their own level.
Between 2024 and 2028 we will:

Ensure there are opportunities for participants to engage in developmental Circus activities from 2 years to adult.
Ensure participants have the opportunity to improve skills, perform, and develop important relationships through the Circus School.
Develop a comprehensive programme for Trainee Trainers to encourage youth circus members to gain skills and passion for working in the sector.
Effectively evaluate the outcomes and impact of our Circus Education work.

GOAL 4: Social Circus Outreach
To harness the power of circus to support the health and wellbeing of people and communities, and encourage them to reach their potential.
Between 2024 and 2028 we will:

Strategically expand and deepen our good relations and peacebuilding work, reaching participants and communities who will gain greatest benefit.
Develop and expand our work with children and young people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and neurodivergent conditions.
Develop and expand our work with older people, focusing on those experiencing loneliness, isolation, mobility challenges and dementia.
Expand and develop good relations work with participants who will gain greatest benefit from it.
Develop pathways for social circus participants to engage with Central Circus School programmes.
Research and evaluate the outcomes and impact of social circus work.

GOAL 5: People and Culture
To ensure that we have the right people to support us in achieving our goals, and that they are supported, nurtured, and given opportunities to grow.
Between 2024 and 2028 we will:

Ensure we have the right staff and artists in the appropriate roles and that the team feels supported and nurtured in a positive, professional environment.
Ensure staff and artists receive the training they require and are given the opportunity to develop.
Identify where external specialist support and advice is required to support and advance specific areas of work.
Effectively engage and support volunteers.
Enhance and strengthen the organisation’s leadership.
To provide an open and honest engagement policy with artists to ensure they are supported and nurtured to create highest quality work.

OUR COMMITMENTS

2024 - 2028

COMMITMENT 1: Communications
To continue to raise our profile locally, nationally and internationally, communicating with a consistent voice and confidence in our brand.
COMMITMENT 2: Finance
To ensure we raise the income we need to achieve our goals and that these resources are managed effectively and transparently.
COMMITMENT 3: Governance
To ensure the governance of IYSC reflects the visionary, ambitious and creative ethos of the company and effectively balances creative aspiration with compliance and best practise.
COMMITMENT 4: Change Making
To support the development of advocacy, lobbying and practice in relation to circus and the arts.
COMMITMENT 5: Artistic Excellence
To support the highest quality delivery in circus education and performance while encouraging skills and talent development at all levels of circus.

Realising our Commitments

COMMITMENT 1: Communications
To continue to raise our profile locally, nationally and internationally, communicating with a consistent voice and confidence in our brand.