Welcome to CircusTalk’s first online panel discussion where we gathered experts from around the world in the circus sector to discuss how the circus world is responding to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

During this discussion with our panelists, we ask important questions about the impact on the physical, mental and economic health of individuals, artists, companies, organizations, the circus sector, the performing arts and beyond, zooming in and out from the big picture to local updates in an effort to gauge our priorities and action steps required for all. We do not have all of the answers, but by facilitating an open discussion, we hope to help the circus world to unite and act during a difficult time. The guest panelists are from diverse backgrounds, regions and roles in the circus:

• Matthew Jessner- Senior Artistic Director of Operations at Dragone. Matthew is located in Brussels, Belgium
• Victoria Amedume– Artistic Director of the circus company Upswing, located in the UK
• Veronika Stefanova-Director of Cirqueon Center for Contemporary Circus, located in Prague, Czech Republic
• Stephane Segreto-Aguilar Coordinator or Circostrada the European Network of Circus & Street Arts, located in Paris, France
• Deb Wilks- Producer at Cluster Arts, a circus event and project management company located in Brisbane, Australia
• Adolfo Rossamundo- Founder of INCAM (the International Network of Circus Arts Magazines) and Juggling Magazine. Adolfo is located in Rome, Italy
• Vincent Messager- Director of Dolce Vita Spectacles touring agency located in Montreal, Canada
• Nicki Miller-Circus artist, Artistic Director of Only Child Aerial Theatre and circus instructor located in New York, New York

Resources Mentioned During the Panel Discussion:

• On the Move-Cultural Mobility Information Network
• Covid-19 Museums, Galleries, Art Fairs, Art Centers, Universities, Theaters, Festivals…Cancel Everything, Pay Everyone!–An open letter
• Emergent Strategy–Book by Adrienne Maree Brown
• Blog about COVID-19 that includes quotes from Emergent Strategy
• LIFT Economy-Next Economy resource, and the podcast: Next Economy Now

Kim Campbell

Writer -USA

Kim Campbell has written about circus for CircusTalk.News, Spectacle magazine, Circus Now, Circus Promoters and was a resident for Circus Stories, Le Cirque Vu Par with En Piste in 2015 at the Montreal Completement Cirque Festival. They are the former editor of CircusTalk.News, American Circus Educators magazine, as well as a staff writer for the web publication Third Coast Review, where they write about circus, theatre, arts and culture. Kim is a member of the American Theater Critics Association.

Kim's profile