Hand to hand

A European contemporary circus exploration in the public spaces of four countries to collectively question the notion of social ecology – through experimentations, learning spaces, meetings with different sectors of activity – and their traditional gestures and know-how.

Europe is faced with the need to initiate deep ecological and environmental changes.

We must all rethink our ways of living and how we choose to develop. To connect differently with the places we inhabit, and the people around us.

Social ecology* envisions a world that reharmonizes human communities with the natural world, while celebrating diversity, creativity and freedom. For such an ecological transformation, we need to collectively create the conditions for a social and sustainable transformation.

The contemporary circus sector, as well as the cultural sector in general, needs to redefine its practices to become more sustainable and ethical. From a traditional priority and focus on technical skills within circus training, we propose a new set of capacities and different artistic, scientific and collaborative approaches are needed.

The hypothesis of Hand to Hand is to create new cooperations and new modes of understanding through a social ecology, where art – more specifically contemporary circus – in public space can contribute to the transition of the circus sector, transforming its artistic and methodological practices.

Hand to Hand brings together four European partners, all cultural, circus and performing arts operators: Le Palc, a national circus centre in France, ROOM 100 in Croatia, Bússola in Portugal and Helsingør Theatre in Denmark.

Through collective learning and research across various sectors, the project explores new ways of working sustainably with circus in public spaces.

Through four exploration visits and following residencies, artists, partners, mentors and researchers will together exchange knowledge and pratices linked to different industries and private firms, that hold significance for the local areas:

• Vineyards and production of champagne with Joseph Perrier in Châlons en Champagne (FR)
• Traditional artisanal manifacturing of paper with Fila Arches in Arches (FR)
• Industrial distant fishing and distribution at Codfish Harbor of Ílhavo, in Ilhavo (PT)
• Salt marshes with Solana Nin salt in Nin, Pag and Ston (HR)
• Maritime biological research with the Øresund Aquarium, boat building and restoration with U/Nord education centre and the Maritime Workshop Association and gentle commercial fishing chairman, Søren Jacobsen in Helsingør (DK)

Following the exploration visits, the artists will return to their matched sectors in the spring of 2024 for an 11 day residency, to further develop their artistic projects. These will be presented as work-in-progress at the partner festivals in public space during 2024 og 2025.

Hand to hand is Co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of The European Union