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Albert & Friends Instant Circus Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0163

Scope and Contents

Photographs, films, posters, handbills and other items of ephemera created by Albert & Friends Instant Circus.

Dates

  • Creation: c1983 - 1999

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Items are available to view by appointment in our reading room

Conditions Governing Use

Copies may be supplied or produced at the discretion of the National Fairground and Circus Archive, subject to copyright law and condition of the material

Biographical / Historical

Albert & Friends Instant Circus (A&FIC) is a contemporary social circus charity based in London, that works 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.

Their aims are to inspire and celebrate individual achievement through innovative learning and the development of diverse skills, aptitudes and experiences which challenge, influence and change life expectations and unlock individual potential. They have also been 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 has gained worldwide recognition for its highly skilled, innovative circus theatre performances. Its reputation and performance schedule extend to New York, Paris, Rome, Frascati, Edinburgh, Beijing, Hamburg, Ljubljana, Maastricht and Adelaide. A&FIC has 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 has also worked with Melcombe Primary School in Hammersmith and has 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 has 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.

Extent

23 Box(es)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Catalogued according to type

Accruals

Further accrual expected

Related Materials

Circus Friends Association Collection

Status
Completed
Description rules
International Standard for Archival Description - General
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the National Fairground and Circus Archive Repository

Contact:
The University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
0114 222 7231