Hallo,
I'm Susanna, a circus artist interested in using art to spread knowledge, coscience, good habits and solutions about human impact (on earth and society).
Searching around I ended up in Greece, joining the Sea Clown Sailing Circus project.
It's a project with sailing boats and circus people sailing around Greek islands to make shows in the streets, spreading the idea that it's possible to move around without petrol and using renowable energies (solar powered boats, pedal powered proyector, ...).
Here's a video about the project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZiYWEQjEy0&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR24v2IFaZ2yrNefSbd4Sgg6YNQc4fwCYi71-wFJVeFoH_5Lg92IUXsG06Y
Now I'm ''directing'' a new ''project in the project'', until now circus people were coming and going in the project voluntarly, now with some of them we are thinking to create a group to make a proper circus creation to make a sustainable show about sustainbaility to make a tournee with.
The thing is that we would love to create a group of around 10 people, for that we need three things:
1- people: circus artist and\or musicians interested are welcome, always. Are also welcome people that knows about organization\production stuff, we really need someone that know how to do this kind of work.
2- sailing boat big enough: it will be amazing to make an insite show on the boat (we have already a little version on a 12m boat) , we received one big but it needs big reparations so we need partners and collaborations, it will be cool a sponsor to put an electric motor for example (the hard work is made by our lovely hands).
3- residencies opportunities to help support our new creation process, all the help economical or artistic is always welcome.
Financially all ideas are welcome as a really big part of the hats of the shows goes to repair the boats, pay the parking space, buy replacements and the rest is for living costs and that's all!
It's a project that was born from simple friends joining and starting the adventure so it's always on the edge of economical sustainability (lot of times we have to put moneys from our pockets to mantein the boats), that make it impossible for now to continue the project in winter, when it will be possible to sail to the poorest areas and refugees camps to bring some joy (some projects on this way still happens but we can't do them all the time, we need to stop and work too !)
While traveling and making shows we made lot of connections with local projects like activist against fracking in the islands, plastic recuperation projects, refugees projects, permaculture communities and much more, so with the shows we also give visibility to those local projects and help them connect through Greece.
My big dream is to renew the big boat (Rozael a 16 meters wooden boat) making it sustainable with electric motor and low impact organization of life inside (low impact habits like reducing waste, water and energy consumption, ...), fill it with circus people and experts about sustainabilty and sail around the world making mini festivals with shows (about sustainability obviously!), workshops (autoproduction, planting trees events, community vegetable gardens, permaculture, zero waste, low impact lifestyle, cleaning beach events) and making contact with local projects to give them more audience and help them connect.
So sorry for the long post but is hard to tell so many things, I would like to hear from you, ideas, proposals, suggestions, whatever!
Thank you!
Hi Susanna, I just wanted to say that your project sounds amazing, although very broad and probably not that easy to manage.
I'm a Swedish circus artist living in Oslo and have no plans to go sailing in Greece unfortunately, but I'm going to Greece this summer as my partner is Greek and my kids too. We could possibly meet?
Just to talk and see if I can help in any way, even if I neither have money nor time... :) I do have some experience in the circus production field. Write to me on info@circusbyme.com if you would like to get in touch. And bravo for your plans and dreams!