social justice may feel like an unattainable ideal when you barely have time or energy to take care of yourself. how can anyone find time to exercise and work and look after their family and see friends and prioritise themselves and also have fun and also do good for others? (spoiler – they don’t). the secret is community. vulcana women’s circus is an example of everyday people who lift each other up (pun intended) and change the world through play.
what is the spirit of punk? to have a go, and have your voice heard. to do it yourself. it is an ideology of freedom and empowerment.
what is feminism? the belief that all people, regardless of their gender identity, should have equal opportunity to realise their full potential. it is a philosophy of human rights.
what is art? an expression of human experience. it is an access point to our spirit.
these are forces that drive social change, empowerment and joy. community spaces which facilitate creativity promote the health and wellbeing of the individuals in that community.
established in 1995, the “home of the brave, strong and daring” is a community led circus space in meanjin, australia.
vulcana now welcomes women, trans and non-binary gendered adults, kids and teens of all genders, to its inclusive circus training, performance making projects, and community engagement programs. it is an incubator for new, emerging and professional artists who have developed their passion as practitioners, performers and teachers in this art form that offers every body a place to explore their uniqueness and their creativity.
celia white – artistic director
it is a safe space to learn skills that have traditionally been gender specific. vulcana delivers circus programs to marginalised communities that would not otherwise have access. they advocate that underrepresented voices belong at the heart of social change, and provide these voices with a platform to tell their stories.
for me, and many others, circus has been fundamentally empowering and healing. as someone who has struggled to survive depression, i make no exaggeration when i say that circus saved my life. how can something so whimsical be so profound?
in circus we must take risks, and by meeting challenges we build self trust. we face and overcome fear, supported by people who care. we grow courage, and belief in the expansion of your own ability. we work closely and physically with other bodies, and are taught to communicate our boundaries and respect others. this teaches safe and respectful ways of relating. in my own journey of healing from trauma, circus allowed me to learn and practice the language of personal safety.
many people raised as female can identify with the struggle of identifying and communicating our boundaries; we are raised to prioritise others’ comfort above our own safety. being in a space like vulcana (where your gender does not determine your social power) supports you to feel comfortable embodying your whole self.
movement is healing; anything that brings you joy and connection with your body is a radical act of self love. in our “hustle” culture, playing – doing things purely for enjoyment – is subversive. vulcana is a space where people from all walks of life come together to do just that.
circus is a community of people that move and play. it is a shared physical language that people from any background can use to explore, express and share ideas. in this way it fosters healing for individuals and communities. change happens when people come together and exchange ideas.
maddy grant is a writer, director, producer, punk, feminist and clown who makes joyful work that examines issues of environmental and social justice.
“to me Vulcana is more punk than a lot of what self-describes as punk, it is a very DIY space. vulcana encourages me to make work, it gave me the skills to write and produce, its gives many performers a place to rehearse and stage shows. it is community driven and evolves with each generation and there is a continued effort to make the space more diverse and make sure that we are a safe and welcoming place for a lot of people who may not feel safe in other spaces. “
maddy grant – director and producer
vulcana is punk in philosophy and practice. they do their own rigging, build their own sets and they make their own costumes. members support each other to learn the skills they need to do the things they love. it creates space for people to question and challenge the way they are treated and ask critical questions of society.
it can feel overwhelming to take care of ourselves let alone have fun, and impossible to find extra to help others in our dystopian modern world. individualism permeates our culture, but community is essential to our survival.
allowing yourself to be seen and supported is terrifying and incredibly healing; in doing so you encourage others to do the same.
want to support vulcana? make a tax deductible donation here: https://www.givenow.com.au/vulcanawomenscircus
read more:
interview with artistic director, celia white https://www.carnivalcinema.com.au/vulcana-interview-with-celia-white/
maddy grant on the parallels between punk and circus https://languageofthedamned.com/2023/05/01/vulcana-circus-with-maddy/
domenica finch 