Community groups invited to celebrate life of famous Staffordshire Circus showman

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Staffordshire community groups and artists are being offered up to £1000 of funding and invited to take part in a celebration of the life and times of Newcastle Under Lyme born showman and inventor of the modern circus, Philip Astley.

People from Staffordshire will work together and take part in AstleyFest 2018, a new outdoor festival in Newcastle-under-Lyme to celebrate the life and legacy of Philip Astley – Father of the Modern Circus.

CIRCUS FLAGS AND BANNERS

Staffordshire-based groups can apply for up to £1,000 for materials, artist fees and volunteer expenses to design and make flags to be used in a spectacult circus parade and displayed at the festival.

Historically, theatres and circuses have promoted their shows using parades and processions through town which spread the word about the exciting entertainment to come.

As well as music and costume, these processions often used colourfulflags and banners to catch the eye and attract attention.

This tradition, which brings together dynamic content with the power of word of mouth, is of continued relevance in 2018.

A total of £5,000 is available for groups to help create the colur and spectacle for the Philip Astley AstleyFest circus parade.

WHAT IS ASTLEYFEST 2018?

On 4th August 2018, Newcastle-under-Lyme will gather together to celebrate Philip Astley at AstleyFest, a free festival taking place in Staffordshire’s Lyme Valley. With performances and hands-on activities, everyone will have the chance to be inspired and get involved.

It promises to be brilliant day out for the whole family, children of all ages will love clowning around and trying their hand at circus skills.

Everyone can also enjoy the New Vic Theatre’s first performance of Roll Up, Roll Up, a brand- new show developed with local writers, performers and choir members.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

The Philip Astley Project invites submissions from Staffordshire based community groups and artists working in partnership with a group to create a new banner or flag to promote AstleyFest 2018.

Successful applicants will work with groups of local people to design and create a flag that celebrates Philip Astley’s life and legacy. On the morning of AstleyFest, the group of makers will parade with their flag to the festival site in Lyme Valley, spreading the word about the festival as they go.

At the festival itself, a presentation space will house the completed flags. The people who designed and made the flags will share their stories with festival-goers, explaining how the flag was made, and giving background detail on the aspect of Astley’s life they have chosen to portray.

Get Inspired

Astley was a larger than life character, a showman, inventor and entrepreneur. Get creative and think big.
How would Astley have promoted AstleyFest in 2018?

Find out more about The Philip Astley Project here
Read more about Philip Astley on the V&A Museum’s website

How To Apply

To apply, please submit a word document or pdf with the following documents to katherine.evans@staffs.ac.uk
by Monday 5 March 2018.

• A 200 word summary of your group’s skills and experience of community heritage, craft or arts activities
• A 200 word proposal for your flag
• A brief plan setting out who you will work with to create the flag and how many people will be involved
• A breakdown of your total budget

Deadline for applications: Monday 5th March Notification of outcome Friday 16 March

More detailed application and project information is available for download as a PDF here

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MORE ABOUT PHILIP ASTLEY

Philip Astley is considered to be the founder of modern circus.

Master showman and theatrical entrepeneur, the principal reason Astley’s name is known to us today is for his enormous contribution to our cultural life.

Bringing together acrobats, clowns and trick riders in a 42-foot ring; for over 30 years, Astley entertained both high society and the general public with a series of acts that combined risky and tense displays of skill with comic relief. Astley himself was at the heart of these performances, simultaneously riding up to three horses whilst performing ever more daring tricks.

Following a time of experimentation, Astley discovered that a 42-foot ring is the ideal diameter for trick riders to make use of centrifugal force to stay on the back of their horses whilst performing for the public. 42 feet remains the standard size of circus ring used around the world.

Find out more about Philip Astley on the excellent dedicated Philip Astley Project website[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner offset=”vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-md-12″][vc_column_text]

MORE ABOUT THE PHILIP ASTLEY PROJECT

To celebrate Philip Astley’s life and legacy, engaging, entertaining and educational activities are taking place in Newcastle-under-Lyme during 2017 and 2018 – the 250^th anniversary of modern circus.

The Philip Astley Project is managed by Staffordshire University on behalf of a steering group of arts, heritage, statutory and educational organisations. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, and sponsorship from businesses based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, local people can get involved in workshops, talks, an exhibition, and performances to celebrate Philip Astley in his home town in Staffordshire.

You can get up to speed with the full ine up of activities at the dedicated Philip Astley project website here.

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