Save Kingston Circus Arts
Donation protected
A constant source of kindness and generosity in the Kingston community, Erin Ball has done so much more than relearn to fly. As an aerial circus artist and the founder of Kingston Circus Arts, Erin has helped so many of us to spread our wings and soar. Though the road has not been an easy one.
Following an accident in March 2014, Erin had both of her lower legs amputated. Reflecting on that time of her life, Ball says “after I lost my feet I thought my life was over”. She lost her business, was forced to declare bankruptcy. Erin took a year off to recover, to re-learn to walk, and ultimately to learn to fly again, this time to new heights. “I wanted to live, and for me, living includes circus” she explains. So began the painful process of training and learning new ways of moving.
Erin founded Kingston Circus Arts (KCA) in 2015, where she strives to welcome and teach as many people as possible. It is an access centered space that prioritizes inclusion. In 2017, she developed a workshop and manual, called Flying Footless, a course for aerial and movement coaches who want to undo ableism in circus and include the disability community. In 2018 Erin won the Kingston Accessibility Award and the Creator Award. She hosts a ground-breaking yearly amputee circus camp and offers scholarships to students in the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. She even wrote a regular column for The Kingston Whig Standard newspaper, called No Feet and a Heartbeat, about life since her accident. If anyone has contributed to her local community, it is Erin.
KCA is in trouble and needs your help. This pandemic has taken its toll on us all, but perhaps some of the hardest hit areas are the arts and fitness sectors. Erin Ball and all those who attend KCA are asking for your help. Between the first extended lockdown, the increased covid-19 safety protocols, and this second lockdown, this incredible place is struggling and may have to close its doors permanently.
Without your help this unique work will not be able to continue. We understand how difficult and unprecedented these times are for everyone. By giving even a small amount you will be helping to break down stigma, and helping to move us all toward a kinder, more inclusive world. Thank you! http://www.kingstoncircusarts.com/
Following an accident in March 2014, Erin had both of her lower legs amputated. Reflecting on that time of her life, Ball says “after I lost my feet I thought my life was over”. She lost her business, was forced to declare bankruptcy. Erin took a year off to recover, to re-learn to walk, and ultimately to learn to fly again, this time to new heights. “I wanted to live, and for me, living includes circus” she explains. So began the painful process of training and learning new ways of moving.
Erin founded Kingston Circus Arts (KCA) in 2015, where she strives to welcome and teach as many people as possible. It is an access centered space that prioritizes inclusion. In 2017, she developed a workshop and manual, called Flying Footless, a course for aerial and movement coaches who want to undo ableism in circus and include the disability community. In 2018 Erin won the Kingston Accessibility Award and the Creator Award. She hosts a ground-breaking yearly amputee circus camp and offers scholarships to students in the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. She even wrote a regular column for The Kingston Whig Standard newspaper, called No Feet and a Heartbeat, about life since her accident. If anyone has contributed to her local community, it is Erin.
KCA is in trouble and needs your help. This pandemic has taken its toll on us all, but perhaps some of the hardest hit areas are the arts and fitness sectors. Erin Ball and all those who attend KCA are asking for your help. Between the first extended lockdown, the increased covid-19 safety protocols, and this second lockdown, this incredible place is struggling and may have to close its doors permanently.
Without your help this unique work will not be able to continue. We understand how difficult and unprecedented these times are for everyone. By giving even a small amount you will be helping to break down stigma, and helping to move us all toward a kinder, more inclusive world. Thank you! http://www.kingstoncircusarts.com/
Organizer
Carrie Watson
Organizer
Kingston, ON
