Lockyer Valley Circus Arts is a community circus school based in Laidley in the beautiful Lockyer Valley, less than an hour’s drive west of Brisbane. The Lockyer Valley is recognised as the “salad bowl” of Queensland, covering 2,272 square kilometres and it is the seventh most fertile valley in the world. The circus school was established in July 2012, after funding from the Regional Arts Developm
ent Fund enabled a group of children and parents from the area to perform in Lorraine Ashton’s Classic Circus as part of the Laidley Show. The children enjoyed their circus experience and wanted to learn more, so with the help of parents and grandparents from the local community and equipment borrowed from Lorraine Ashton’s Circus, I decided to continue with the circus workshops, which the children call Circus School. We call our group Lockyer Valley Circus Arts and are well on the way to becoming a not-for-profit organisation. Our objectives are:
• To provide the youth of the Lockyer Valley with its own cultural voice through the Art of Circus
• To provide an inclusive outlet for the community’s cultural voice, irrespective of an individual’s financial means, physical ability, ethnic background or age
• To build awareness and to strengthen the relevance of community within the local youth
• To keep the Art of Circus alive for future generations to enjoy; and
• To have fun while learning unique skills
Even though we are focusing on the youth in our region, we have all ages taking part in the workshops and performances. As a professional, 6th generation traditional circus performer from the Ashton's Circus family, with 50 plus years of performing experience behind me, I am passionate about being able to give my time and expertise to a community that has welcomed me and the other Ashton family members who have made the Lockyer Valley their home. I want to contribute to my local community by giving all families access to a fun, creative, challenging, self-esteem building activity. An activity that will help to maintain a healthy and vibrant society. There is a gold coin donation for the circus school. We hold the workshops at the Laidley Showgrounds. The atmosphere at these workshops is magical, just as a circus should be. This small but determined community, with the guidance of circus professionals, are creating and shaping a new future for themselves through circus arts. This is an important step for arts and cultural development in our rural community. This community has no need to “run away to join the circus” because they now have their own! I look forward to welcoming you to ‘circus school’.
