Abstract:

Educational, cultural, and community institutions related to circus arts are rarely in the focus of scientific examination outside the scope of performing arts. This work aims to further the cause of filling this gap: the study examines the content service structure of five major circus arts centers by analyzing, from the perspective of library and information science (LIS) entirely digital solutions not requiring personal presence necessitated by COVID-19:
1. Centre National des Arts du Cirque (Châlons-en-Champagne, France);
2. Circusland, El Palau Internacional De Les Arts Del Circ – The International Palace of the Circus Arts (Besalú, Spain);
3. École nationale de cirque Montréal – National Circus School (Montréal, Canada);
4. National Centre for Circus Art (London, United Kingdom);
5. Sirkuksen tiedotuskeskus – CircusInfo Finland (Helsinki, Finland).

Particular attention is given to the institutions’ social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) activities; comparative statistics are provided on posts, reactions thereto, comments, and shares. Our presentation reveals the circus arts centers’ system of educational programs, trainings, events, contact with the audience, and activities aiming to promote this art form even under these unusual circumstances. By analyzing internationally the pressure of digital development on circus arts applied by the pandemic, we aim to encourage the innovation of further fields of culture and education, and the launch of pilot projects.

Keywords:

Circus art, COVID-19, digital content, educational program, innovation, social media, statistics.