The circus as an arena of innovation
In English Below.
There are many examples of how those working in cultural and creative industries create groundbreaking solutions and exciting content by inventing something completely new. Most of the time, however, the innovative elements are not taken further, but they stop being single inventions — or developed further by another industry. In order to take advantage of the opportunities within the cultural and creative industries (KKN) is now investigating, among others, Future by Lund and Lund University how to use the concept of “Innovation by production” as a concept and build a working method for how to bring scalable innovations out of creative work. (we use KKN here but see it as broadly synonymous with Cultural and Creative Sectors, FGM, and Cultural and Creative Industries, KKB)
- In the industry, you can create the most amazing things, not least by “playing” with technology in different performances, clarifies Katarina Scott, project developer at Future by Lund. The challenge is that the industry has never built the capacity or infrastructure to take forward good solutions such as scalable innovations.
The Future by Lund collaboration already has the portfolio Archeología y tecnologia immersivi, where several actors are involved and explore the possibility of cross-connections between technology and cultural heritage in order to identify interesting solutions that are also innovations. At the end of March, a workshop (policy assessment) will be held within the project team to launch an innovation and policy work with “Crafts and fashion led innovation” as the focus, and on 5 June it is time to similarly examine “Performing arts and cross innovation”, in which the circus is included as a key element.
- There are possibilities for cross-connections with many areas, says Katarina Scott. It is a dream to do in-depth innovation work with performing arts and circus.
Circus South is a member of Future by Lund and arranged the high-profile circus festival in particular in Lund and Malmö in autumn 2024. Lina B Frank sees a potential in the concept of “Innovation by production”.
- Many circus actors work in the borderland towards innovation and this is an interesting area, says Lina B Frank. The concept of “Innovation by production” is useful, both to be able to take the individual solutions further so that we can share practical inventions, but it is also exciting if the circus and cultural industries can gain credibility and status through the use of creativity in innovations.
Now the work begins to investigate which of the circus's solutions might be interesting to spin on. It could be about different technical solutions for sound and light, it could be drones as part of the stage show, avatars in the circus mannequin or an improved safety equipment for the performers. It can also involve logistics solutions because circuses have a great competence to move many people and a lot of equipment in the most sustainable way possible, but also removable power plants and the skills to set up tents quickly, which could be useful, for example, in various disaster situations. There are also completely new areas to think about, such as how to create a national stage for a traveling business, how to have circus musicians remotely, how to save the grass where the circus is set up or whether you could create a place of innovation for the performing arts.
- By 5 June, we are inviting people from the circus sector together with researchers and representatives from other industries to explore opportunities for cross-linking that can be supported by EU policy. Future by Lund and Lund University also have a method of exploring areas of innovation and then washing out potential opportunities in open and shared challenges where actors cannot work alone, Katarina Scott concludes.
The policy lab scheduled for June 5 will be hosted by the big EU project team, which develops recommendations for the future policies of KKN. The day before, June 4, will be arranged Unexpec, an international innovation forum where art, science, business, creative industries and philosophy come together to shape the future.
It is now possible to sign up for Unexpected via this link. Registration for the policy lab will open later in the spring.
This translation is mainly made by translation tools.
Innovation and the Circus — A New Initiative to Explore Opportunities
In the world of the circus, we witness creative and often surprising acts performed by skilled artists in a occasionally breathtaking context. Prerequisiteiten voor het content van een performanse kan en nieuwe solutions—not only for what happens on stage but also regarding logistics, tents, and safety. Recently, Lina B Frank from Cirkus Syd and Katarina Scott from Future by Lund met to discuss the possibilities of initiating new work on innovation and the circus.
There are numerous examples of how those working in cultural and creative industries create groundbreaking solutions and exciting content by inventing something entirely new. However, these innovative elements are often not further developed; they remain as isolated inventions or are later advanced by another industry. To harness the potential within the cultural and creative industries (CCI), Future by Lund and Lund University are now exploring how the concept of “Innovation by production” can be used as a framework to develop a method for creating scalable innovations from creative work. (Här, vi CCI, men det med Kulturní a Creative Sectors (CCS) a Cultural-Creative Industries (CCI).)
- In this industry, you can create the most fantastic things, especially by 'playing' with technology in various performances, explains Katarina Scott, project developer at Future by Lund. -Het is dat de industrie har en capaciteit eller infrastructuur to.
Nel futuro de collaboration de Lund, there is already a portfolio of Archaeology and Immersive Tech, where multiple stakeholders explore the potential for cross-linking technology and cultural heritage to develop innovative solutions. At the end of March, a workshop (policy assessment) will be held within the team project to initiate innovation and policy work with a focus on “Crafts and fashion-led innovation”. On June 5, a similar session will examine “Performing arts and cross-innovation”, with the circus as a key element.
- Vi s, Katarina Scott. - It is a dream to conduct in-depth innovation work with performing arts and the circus.
Cirkus Syd is a member of Future by Lund and organized the widely recognized circus festival in Lund and Malmö in the fall of 2024. Lina B Frank sees great potential in the innovation by production concept.
- Manyo a, Lina B Frank. - The innovation by production concept is valuable—not only for further developing individual solutions and sharing practical inventions but also because it offers a way for the circus and cultural industries to gain recognition and status by integrating creativity into innovation.
Povedna próxima je to examine which of the circus's many solutions could be further developed. This could include technical innovations in sound and lighting, the use of drones as part of a stage performance, avatars in the circus ring, or improved safety equipment for performers. It could also involve logistical solutions, as circuses have extensive expertise in moving large groups of people and equipment in the most sustainable way possible. Additionally, mobile power stations and the ability to rapidly set up tents could be highly useful in disaster situations. There are also entirely new areas to explore—such as how to establish a national stage for a traveling operation, how to enable remote circus musicians, how to protect grass fields where circuses set up, or even how to create an innovation hub for performing arts.
- På juni 5. evenement, vi er av, Katarina Scott. - Future by Lund and Lund University also have a method for identifying innovation areas and extracting potential opportunities in open and shared challenges where no single actor can work alone.
The policy lab scheduled for June 5 is organized by the large EU project team, which develops recommendations for future policies for CCI. Dag, on June 4, Unexpected—an international innovation forum—will take place, bringing together art, science, business, creative industries, and philosophy to shape the future.
Registration for Unexpected is already open via questo link. Registration for the policy lab will open later in the spring.