In a brand new interview in Cirkusbladet, Sara Indrio puts into words the reality in which artists and entertainers in the circus genres work.

Both performing arts groups face familiar challenges - continuing to attract audiences while ensuring sustainable working conditions for current and future talent, says Sara Indrio.

"There is an increase in ticket sales, so there is no less audience for the live experience. It's just specific formats that are winning. The movement is that it's large-scale scaling that has a chance. It's hard to enter the market, especially with niche stuff, it's hard to stand alone as small genre areas. We have a task in recruiting - both artists and audiences," says Sara Indrio, who follows the area closely as a professional politician and chairperson of the Danish Artist Association.

In the interview, she suggests that perhaps the time is ripe for more collaboration on the future of circus and the circus profession, whether as a performer or a company:

"Both traditional and new circuses have a tradition of being independent and fending for themselves, whether as activist underground or as families with a long tradition and history. Maybe there's a lot more to help each other with than we realise? I think it would be exciting to start a dialogue about that."

Dansk nominering: Samtidscirkusforestillingen Faldet af kompagniet Cikaros er nomineret til årets Reumert som første cirkusforestilling. Foto: Jakob Stage

Wellbeing and education are a priority

I artiklen fremhæver Sara Indrio også vigtigheden af uddannelse og arbejdsrammer, der kan understøtter en høj cirkusfaglighed uden at presse den enkelt artist unødigt.

"We need to offer a more attractive labour market for the new generation, I think. And educational opportunities. Everyone in the artistic field has to think about these years. Look at the ballet school, which has had to radically change its culture. It's a difficult process, but if you want an elite and numbers where you directly put your limbs at risk, you can't have a cosy club. It requires training and schooling. I just don't think we can get enough young Danish artists who want to do that if they are unhappy as people or have to sacrifice too much in or for their working life."

International hæder: Kompagniet Scandinavian Boards, der også tæller den danske artist Daniel Shamitha Bendtsen fik en sølvbjørn til den internationale cirkusfestival. 


Cross-disciplinary collaboration can secure the circus arts

Circus genres can provide the optimal illusion and thrill like no other performing arts format, says Sara Indrio. She believes that collaboration across the industry can help future-proof the art form and the conditions under which artists and entertainers work:

"There are many important things to say about circus, which is why many of us must work to create even better opportunities for circus. This is so we can compete with the many offers that exist today, and so we become relevant in time and achieve high professional quality in Denmark.

Dansk Artist Forbund har været med til at starte brancheorganisationen Dansk Samtidscirkus som et fælles talerør, der kan rumme mange former for cirkus.

“Det ville være smukt, hvis alle aktører tog ansvar for fællesskabet og for at sikre cirkusfaglighed i fremtiden i Danmark, uanset om man arbejder med det traditionelle cirkus eller med nye cirkusformer. Jeg ser den vildeste fighterånd og kæmpepotentiale i dansk cirkus”

Read the full interview "We must stand together to secure Danish circus" here.

Sara Indrio (left) and the front cover of Cirkusbladet (right). The magazine is published in printed form by the Circus Museum and Danish Circus Friends