Save the Circus Lab!

Hi Everyone,

We are the Circus Lab, and below is our story.

Many of you know us as you have been a student, coach, stopped by for training as an artist, or saw our students perform. We thank you for your tremendous support over the past 7 years, which have truly been amazing. 

In this difficult time, we have made the tough decision of asking for the public's help. The arts are not an essential service, but they are what everyone turns to to get through difficult times. Over the years, many of our students have come in looking for circus skills, and have come out having found their voice, their confidence, their sense of belonging, their passion, or their friends for life. Please help us to continue on after the lockdowns. 

From the bottom of our hearts, 
Thank you. 





HERE'S WHAT WE USUALLY DO WHEN IT'S NOT LOCKDOWN TIME! (And want to be able to continue doing!) 


- We provide circus training for students to reach their circus dreams such as being onstage, getting accepted at the National Circus School, or begin working professionally with big companies!

- We put Vancouver and the West Coast of Canada on the map by helping students get accepted to and perform at International Circus Festivals! 

- We provide many jobs for local coaches and artists, both at the school and as performers in Canada!

- We encourage the growth and confidence of local kids by providing a place where they can fit in, find their niche and feel an enormous boost in self-esteem! This translates into higher grades, confidence, and circus friends for life!

- We give back to our community: we work with Special Needs students, provide home-learners with physical education classes, run FREE parent-and-tot developmental play sessions every week, host KidsWorld sessions, participate in BC Culture days and contribute to many other arts and  fundraising events, and lastly by create community outreach programs with local schools and events allover British Columbia!

- We provide a place for local and visiting circus professionals such as Cirque du Soleil artists to train, meet and inspire others, or build circus acts with the proper space and equipment they need. 

- We host a Post-Secondary program which accepts students from allover Canada for full time training before their circus careers!





WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO SURVIVE:


Rent and insurance are still due while the world is on lockdown!

- Together, these are $ 9440 a month.
- We have already survived 1.5 months of heart-breaking empty gyms... 
- Now we are asking for your help in order to survive the next few months.
- We are fundraising to make it through 3 more months until the lockdowns hopefully subside and things can return to normal. 






HOW WE (and the circus community supporting us) ARE DOING OUR BEST TO GET THROUGH and not waste your efforts:


- Artists and coaches from all over the world have volunteered to donate their time teaching online workshops! 
- We have created an online platform for our students (who are able to) to keep training and stay enrolled!
- We have met with our Member of Parliament and he is advocating for us.
- BC Hydro has granted us payment deferrals. 
- We are in talks with our landlord about a partial rent deferral but this will just mean bigger bills when times are still very difficult. 
- We have reached out to our local radio stations who are supporting us!






HOW YOU CAN HELP:

- PLEASE donate: any little bit helps, no matter how small. 
- PLEASE share this.

We ask for your help in personally sharing our story with those around you who support the arts, the local community, and the growth and development of children!


From the entire Circus Lab team and students,

THANK YOU.