Clown Congress 2025
an open space exploring the future Clowning
Calling all clowns! Come gather with us for 2-days of deep, meaningful, playful and irreverent exploration of the future of our beloved artform.
|
The Clown Congress is a space of inquiry; a place to collectively ask what does it mean to be a clown in this current era? In times of crisis and change, the old models of our artforms may need re-imagining to suit the times we are in. And as we face shifting and transitioning political power systems, climate breakdown and urgent issues of social injustice we are gathering to ask:
WHO IS THIS EVENT FOR?
This event is for clowns, performers, activists, therapists, directors, teachers, students, clown doctors, humanitarian clowns, applied drama / improvisation practitioners, researchers, artists, dreamers and anyone who uses play in their work or personal practice. WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
A bunch of clowns will be taking over Bristol University’s drama department for 2 whole days to discuss, play, dream and grapple with the question: what is the future of clowning? We’ll be using Open Space technology; a clown-friendly organic conferencing method that allows you, the participants, to set the agenda. Each morning, you’ll be greeted by your friendly hosts and gently and clearly orientated into the world of Open Space. You’ll all get a chance to raise a topic for exploration - but you don’t have to - it’s OK to just come along and see what you fancy getting involved with when you get there! Sessions can take many forms including exploratory workshops, focused discussions, co-created play sessions, and sharing individual projects and personal artistic experiences. We aim to create a welcoming environment where clowns from different backgrounds can meet, play, share, inspire, learn and grow together. WHO IS THE CLOWN CONGRESS TEAM?
Your hosts are Robyn Hambrook (activist clown, performer, director), Holly Stoppit (clown therapist, teacher, facilitator) and Jan Wozniak (clown academic). We will be supported by a team of fantastic volunteers. More about the history of Clown Congress below. |
how it works:WHEN:
Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April 2025 TIMES: 9.30-6pm both days WHERE: Wickham Theatre, Bristol University, Cantock's Cl, Bristol BS8 1UP HOSTED BY: Holly Stoppit, Robyn Hambrook and Jan Wozniak DEADLINE FOR TICKET SALES: Sunday 23 March INVESTMENT:
We are offering a sliding scale to suit your pocket: 1 day ticket (includes lunch & refreshments) £90 (standard) / £75 (low earning) / £60 (in receipt of benefits / in full time education) per day 2 day ticket (includes lunch and refreshments) £160 (standard) / £130 (low earning) / £100 (in receipt of benefits / in full time education) for 2 days All tickets are available on Dandelion |
DAILY SCHEDULE:
9.30am - Arrival & registration
10am - 11.30am - Welcome, ice-breakers, introducing Open Space
11.30am - 12:00pm - Break - tea & coffee provided
12.00pm - 1.00pm - Open Space session one
1.00pm - 2.00pm - Lunch - provided for all participants
2.00pm - 2.30pm - Re-gathering
2.30pm - 3.30pm - Open Space session two
3.30pm - 4.00pm - Break - tea & coffee provided
4.00pm - 5.00pm - Open Space session three
5.00pm - 6.00pm - Whole group gathering, sharing and closing
9.30am - Arrival & registration
10am - 11.30am - Welcome, ice-breakers, introducing Open Space
11.30am - 12:00pm - Break - tea & coffee provided
12.00pm - 1.00pm - Open Space session one
1.00pm - 2.00pm - Lunch - provided for all participants
2.00pm - 2.30pm - Re-gathering
2.30pm - 3.30pm - Open Space session two
3.30pm - 4.00pm - Break - tea & coffee provided
4.00pm - 5.00pm - Open Space session three
5.00pm - 6.00pm - Whole group gathering, sharing and closing
WHAT IS A CLOWN CONGRESS:
The Clown Congress is a curated meeting place to:
* share practice;
* have conversations about issues big and small;
* explore developments of the art form;
* ask our key questions; and,
* challenge our thinking around the possibilities and power of clowning
CLOWN CONGRESS TIMELINE:
Clown Congress 2025 builds on previous events hosted by Robyn, Holly and other collaborators:
2020 - Clowns in Crisis Online Conference - How Can Clowning Help You and How Can Clowns Help Others In Times Of Crisis?
2021 - Clowning out of Chaos Online Conference - How can we clown with chaos? And how can clowning help us move beyond chaos and create the world we want to live in?
2022 - Clown Congress 1- Clowning and Protest, Clowning and Social Justice and the Clowning and the Climate Crisis.
2023 - Clown Congress 2 - Clowns & Identity - How are we changing the artform in ways that enable greater diversity and inclusion? How do we cultivate diverse approaches that emerge from our diverse identities?
WHAT DOES A CLOWN CONGRESS LOOK LIKE:
Want to know what happens at a Clown Congress? You can read about our last event in 2023 here
The Clown Congress is a curated meeting place to:
* share practice;
* have conversations about issues big and small;
* explore developments of the art form;
* ask our key questions; and,
* challenge our thinking around the possibilities and power of clowning
CLOWN CONGRESS TIMELINE:
Clown Congress 2025 builds on previous events hosted by Robyn, Holly and other collaborators:
2020 - Clowns in Crisis Online Conference - How Can Clowning Help You and How Can Clowns Help Others In Times Of Crisis?
2021 - Clowning out of Chaos Online Conference - How can we clown with chaos? And how can clowning help us move beyond chaos and create the world we want to live in?
2022 - Clown Congress 1- Clowning and Protest, Clowning and Social Justice and the Clowning and the Climate Crisis.
2023 - Clown Congress 2 - Clowns & Identity - How are we changing the artform in ways that enable greater diversity and inclusion? How do we cultivate diverse approaches that emerge from our diverse identities?
WHAT DOES A CLOWN CONGRESS LOOK LIKE:
Want to know what happens at a Clown Congress? You can read about our last event in 2023 here
Access Info
There is a section on the booking form to tell us about your access needs.
We welcome people of all abilities, people who are neurovergent and people with mild-moderate mental health issues.
There will be an access support / pastoral care member of our team on site and available at all times.
The venue is accessible for people who use wheelchairs or have restricted movement. There is a ramp to get in, accessible toilets and a lift to all areas of the event.
There will be a designated quiet space for those who need to rest.
There can also be a noisy room for those who need to make noise!
We wish we had the budget for sign language interpreters and audio-describers but we don’t this year. If you need your own interpreter or access worker to accompany you to this event, please get in touch with us and we’ll arrange a ticket.
Covid Care
There are still people who are vulnerable to covid and we want everyone to feel as safe as possible in the space.
We can't guarantee a Covid-free environment, but we can do our best to minimise the risks for people with compromised immunity and/or those who are connected with immune-compromised people.
If you have any covid-like symptoms, please take a lat-flow test and please don't come if you have tested positive.
All exercises can work with social distancing, if that is what you need. Please make sure that physical proximity is consensual.
You are welcome to wear a mask if that makes you feel safer. We will not be asking people to wear masks.
Where possible we will be working with doors and windows open for ventilation, so please bring extra warm layers.
We will have an open discussion and make a group agreement on the first day to make sure everyone feels safe and comfortable enough.
Cancellation Policy
> If you need to cancel your place before the course begins, full refunds can only be given up until two weeks before the course starts.
> Should you need to cancel your place after this date, 50% of your payment will be retained, unless your place can be suitably filled.
> For drop-outs within 72 hours (3 days) of the start of the course, your full fee will be retained.
> If we needs to cancel this course for any reason, you will be offered alternative dates. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled dates, then we will offer a refund.
There is a section on the booking form to tell us about your access needs.
We welcome people of all abilities, people who are neurovergent and people with mild-moderate mental health issues.
There will be an access support / pastoral care member of our team on site and available at all times.
The venue is accessible for people who use wheelchairs or have restricted movement. There is a ramp to get in, accessible toilets and a lift to all areas of the event.
There will be a designated quiet space for those who need to rest.
There can also be a noisy room for those who need to make noise!
We wish we had the budget for sign language interpreters and audio-describers but we don’t this year. If you need your own interpreter or access worker to accompany you to this event, please get in touch with us and we’ll arrange a ticket.
Covid Care
There are still people who are vulnerable to covid and we want everyone to feel as safe as possible in the space.
We can't guarantee a Covid-free environment, but we can do our best to minimise the risks for people with compromised immunity and/or those who are connected with immune-compromised people.
If you have any covid-like symptoms, please take a lat-flow test and please don't come if you have tested positive.
All exercises can work with social distancing, if that is what you need. Please make sure that physical proximity is consensual.
You are welcome to wear a mask if that makes you feel safer. We will not be asking people to wear masks.
Where possible we will be working with doors and windows open for ventilation, so please bring extra warm layers.
We will have an open discussion and make a group agreement on the first day to make sure everyone feels safe and comfortable enough.
Cancellation Policy
> If you need to cancel your place before the course begins, full refunds can only be given up until two weeks before the course starts.
> Should you need to cancel your place after this date, 50% of your payment will be retained, unless your place can be suitably filled.
> For drop-outs within 72 hours (3 days) of the start of the course, your full fee will be retained.
> If we needs to cancel this course for any reason, you will be offered alternative dates. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled dates, then we will offer a refund.
ABOUT ROBYN
Robyn is a Bristol-based director, teacher and performer. With over 20 years experience she is a passionate practitioner of clowning, physical theatre, circus and street arts. She has a MA in Circus Directing, a Diploma of Physical Theatre Practice and trained with a long line of inspiring teachers including Holly Stoppit, Peta Lily, Giovanni Fusetti, Bim Mason, Jon Davison, Zuma Puma, Lucy Hopkins and John Wright.
Over the past five years she has been exploring the meeting point of clowning and a deep desire to address the injustices in the world. This specialism has developed through her Masters Research ‘Small Circus Acts of Resistance’, on the streets and in protests with the Bristol Rebel Clowns and in research residencies with The Trickster Laboratory. Robyn’s Activist Clown research has led to collaborations with Jay Jordan (Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination, France), Clown Me In (Beirut), LM Bogad (US), Hilary Ramsden (Greece) and international Tricksters; ‘The Yes Men’ (US). During the pandemic in 2020, Robyn set up The Online Clown Academy with Holly Stoppit and developed a series of Zoom Clown Courses. Robyn’s research, started during her Masters, has been exploring the meeting point of clowning and activism, online, in the real world and with international collaborators. With this drive to explore political edges of her work she has also dived back into the world of the Bouffon; training with Jaime Mears, Bim Mason, Nathaniel Justiniano, Eric Davis, Tim Licata, Al Seed and the grand master Bouffon-himself; Philippe Gaulier. Keen to explore the intersection of clowning and politics, Robyn is driven to create collaborative, research spaces, testing and pushing the limits of the artform to create new knowledge and methodologies for her industry and strengthen partnerships for future work. Some of her most recent collaborations and teaching projects have included the Nomadic Rebel Clown Academy (5-day Activist Clown Training), The Laboratory of the Un-beautiful (Feminist Grotesque Bouffon Training for Womxn Theatre Makers) and the Clown Congress (annual gathering of clowns, activists & academics collectively exploring what it means to be a clown in this current era) |
Photo by HeardinLondon Photography
|