Albert & Friends Instant Circus (1983 - 2019)
Biography
Albert & Friends Instant Circus (A&FIC) was a contemporary social circus charity based in London, that worked with children and young people with physical and learning difficulties, problem children and excluded youths to develop their potential through circus and the physical arts. A&FIC was stablish in 1983 and incorporated on 22 November 1996.
Their aims were to inspire and celebrate individual achievement through innovative learning and the development of diverse skills, aptitudes and experiences which challenged, influenced and changed life expectations and unlocked individual potential. They were also involved in plans to combat childhood obesity through circus skills.
The company was founded in London in 1983 by Ian Scott Owens (aka Albert the clown) and Petrea Owens (aka Trea) and gained worldwide recognition for its highly skilled, innovative circus theatre performances. Its reputation and performance schedule extended to New York, Paris, Rome, Frascati, Edinburgh, Beijing, Hamburg, Ljubljana, Maastricht and Adelaide. A&FIC developed from a local summer project in 1983, to a voluntary youth organisation in 1988, to a registered Charity in 1997. Trea established A&FIC as a model of good practice in both youth circus and circus arts education gaining Arts Council England recognition in 2004 and National Portfolio Organisation status in 2012.
Albert also worked with Melcombe Primary School in Hammersmith and created a curriculum for circus skills to be taught in schools for a variety of lessons including Maths and History for Key Stage 1-3.
Albert and Trea also created the biennial London International Youth Circus Festival in 2004 providing a platform for young people to perform on the world stage.
A&FIC played a pivotal role in creating both Circus Works, the national UK network for youth circus organisations, and the European Youth Circus Organisation, of which Trea is President. Trea has contributed considerably to the development of the sector both in the UK and Europe.
A&FIC was disolved on 15 October 2019.
Found in 365 Collections and/or Records:
Central London Connexions Launch Fringe Certificate, 24 October 2002
Certificate awarded to Albert & Friends Instant Circus for performing at Central London Connexions Launch Fringe held at Sadlers Wells Theatre.
Children's Museum [Indecipherable] Parade Macy's (2) VHS-C Tape, c1990 - 2000
VHS-C tapes relating to Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Children's VCS Commissioned Services Templates and Information Optical Disk, c1995 - 2008
Optical disks, containing correspondence, administrative papers, newsletters, photographs and films, created by Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Christmas Pudding Mystery Photographs, c1995 - 2008
Includes photographs of a charity event attended by members of Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Christmas Pudding Mystery Photographs, c1995 - 2008
Colour photographs, and one sheet of black and white contact prints, of Ian Scott Owens with young people and children from Albert & Friends Instant Circus taking part in a charity event making Christmas puddings for Feed the Children Charity. Photographs found in a wallet labelled as follows: 'Xmas Pudding Mystery Photographs'.
Cinderella/Master Audio DAT Tape, 1987 - 1998
The content of this recording is unknown.
Circomedia DV Cassette Tape, c1995 - 2008
DV cassette tapes relating to Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Circopolis & Circopolin Children Optical Disk, 2014
Film made by Galway Community Circus.
Circus Circus Circus Poster, July 2006
Printed poster advertising, 'Circus, Circus, Circus: The Second London International Youth Circus Festival', held by Albert & Friends Instant Circus at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. Red and yellow background, red, yellow, black and white text and blurred photograph of a aerial performer, 1p.
Circus Circus Circus Poster, July 2008
Printed poster advertising, 'Circus, Circus, Circus: The Third London International Youth Circus Festival', held by Albert & Friends Instant Circus at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. Red, yellow, and white text, illustrated with a colour photograph of six aerial performers, 1p.
Circus Futures 2011 Optical Disk, 2011
Circus Futures was an arts development project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bristol City Council. Includes extracts of performances by twelve contemporary circus companies: Citrus Arts, Crashmat Collective, Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre, Genius Sweatshop, Ilona Jantti, Joanna Morse Palmer, Jon Hicks, Lost in Translation Circus, Mattress Circus, Pirates of the Carabina, Sugar Beast Circus and Tumble Circus.
Circus Futures 2011 Optical Disk, 2011
Circus Futures was an arts development project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bristol City Council. Includes extracts of performances by twelve contemporary circus companies: Citrus Arts, Crashmat Collective, Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre, Genius Sweatshop, Ilona Jantti, Joanna Morse Palmer, Jon Hicks, Lost in Translation Circus, Mattress Circus, Pirates of the Carabina, Sugar Beast Circus and Tumble Circus. DUPLICATE.
Circus Girl Full Performance Optical Disk, c2000 - 2012
Optical disks, containing correspondence, administrative papers, newsletters, photographs and films, created by Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Circus Helsinki Beats! Collage Optical Disk, c2000 - 2012
Optical disks, containing correspondence, administrative papers, newsletters, photographs and films, created by Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Circus - Jacques Prevert Show Rehearsal June 2006 Optical Disk, June 2006
Optical disks, containing correspondence, administrative papers, newsletters, photographs and films, created by Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Circus Mignon Photograph Album, 1999
Photograph album titled, 'Edinburgh Fringe, Circus Mignon, Fru-Fru, A&FIC', containing colour photographs of young people and children of Albert & Friends Instant Circus and Circus Mignon, a youth circus from Hamburg, Germany, shown performing Cinderella and also a performance in collaboration with Fru-Fru, a puppet company from Slovenia at the Wireworks during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Circus Mignon Photograph Album, 1999
Photograph album titled, 'Circus Mignon - Sylt, Germany 1999', containing colour photographs of members of Circus Mignon, a youth circus of Hamburg, Germany, shown performing in a circus tent at a fair in Sylt, Germany, followed by black and white photographs of young people and children from Albert & Friends Instant Circus, shown in rehearsals, being filmed outside and then during their performance in Sylt.
Circus Mignon Photographs, 1999
Includes photographs of children and young people from Albert & Friends Instant Circus performing with Circus Mignon, a youth circus from Hamburg, Germany.
Circus School 1997 Disney Dangerous Boys VHS Tape, 1997
VHS tapes relating to Albert & Friends Instant Circus.
Circus School VHS Tape, 1997
Further information on the tape: Dangerous Boys Show (45 mins rushes etc).