Jacksons Lane Appeals for Public Support Amidst Funding Challenges
Jacksons Lane, renowned as the UK’s leading arts and cultural venue dedicated to showcasing circus arts, is reaching out to the public for assistance. With widespread cuts to funding for arts and culture nationwide, the performing arts sector finds itself in an increasingly precarious position, compelling organizations like Jacksons Lane to tap into their creativity to secure funding and turn to the community for help.
The venue is currently raising funds to sustain its vital Youth Circus outreach work in the North London area of Haringey. Last year, Jacksons Lane experienced a significant loss of funding for its Youth Circus program, exacerbating the challenges faced by young people in the community.
While it’s widely acknowledged that arts and creativity offer profound opportunities for young people to express themselves, build confidence, and enhance their wellbeing, governmental funding structures especially lately fall short in supporting these crucial aspects. Compounded by escalating cuts to arts education in schools, young people are encountering diminished opportunities and experiencing heightened mental health challenges. This issue is particularly pronounced in areas like Haringey, where 41% of children live in poverty and rates of serious mental illness surpass the London average.
“Jacksons Lane’s funding from the Arts Council has been at a standstill for more than 20 years now,” says Adrian Berry, Artistic Director & Joint CEO at Jacksons Lane. “So, in real terms, our grant is worth 50% less. We have no core funding for our social circus work, which has been a case of fundraising annually every year for ten years now. Most venues like us are in similar situations whereby we have to generate our own income to survive rather than relying on government funding alone. It’s a daily challenge for all of us. The current government has withdrawn much funding from London also and diverted it to other areas of England.”
Despite these obstacles, Jacksons Lane’s Youth Circus program continues to provide invaluable opportunities for young people in Haringey. The program offers free weekly circus workshops to over 80 young participants, aged 4-18, across various locations in the area, including housing estates and community centers. Led by professional circus artists, these sessions foster skill development, confidence building, and provide access to diverse opportunities. The sessions are inclusive, anti-bullying, and anti-racist, ensuring groups are hugely diverse, with 75% of participants from the global majority and many identifying as LGBTQ+.
Jacksons Lane’s fundraising campaign, running until March 26th, is facilitated through The Big Give – Arts For Impact. In light of recent shifts in funding dynamics, initiatives like this are crucial lifelines for arts organizations. Berry acknowledges the efforts involved, stating, “More than ever, we have to rely on such initiatives and Theatre Tax Relief as sources to raise funds for our activities.”
Regarding the importance of youth engagement in cultivating future audiences for the arts, Berry underscores,”It is not even so much about new audiences, although we do give many free tickets to our Youth Circus participants for circus shows at Jackson’s Lane, so in some ways, it is. But this is about us going out to communities to develop circus skills and, we hope, the circus artists of the future from young people, from many diverse backgrounds and cultures.”
To support Jacksons Lane’s Youth Circus program, contributions can be made through The Big Give – Arts For Impact platform, where every pound donated is matched, effectively doubling the impact. Additionally, spreading awareness by sharing this article also aids in their cause. As Berry emphasizes, “Every £1 helps.”
By rallying together, we can ensure that Jacksons Lane continues to empower young people through the transformative power of the arts.
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