America is not in step with Canada, France, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, etc. Those countries support the arts and consider circus an art form. The US, by contrast, does not support the arts in the same way. I think what they do is the equivalent of pennies-a-day for all the arts. The National Endowment for the Arts is a joke. They just recently considered circus as an art. But, the American public still has a hard time with considering circus as a legitimate art form. In Europe, the public understands that circus is an art form for families, that families can enjoy. This puts circus in America in the awkward position of having to scramble for funding.
The Big Apple Circus in New York City tapped into the world of very wealthy donors who are circus-lovers, so they are well-off and have a healthy endowment and donor-base. That is the most successful circus in America. Circus Flora, in St. Louis, does OK, but they have a very short season because that's all the money they can get. Circus Sarasota in Florida is also doing well, but they are tying it into money being raised for the Ringling Mansion Restoration Project. Circus Vargas in Vermont, Circus Juventas in Minneapolis and the Circus Space in Seattle are amateur circus groups that have been able to get funding. But, being able to fund a circus school in which young men and women can learn circus skills to an advanced level is still extremely difficult. When will there be any parity worldwide?
No comments:
Post a Comment