As 2020 gets into full swing, NoFit State have been reflecting on some of their highlights of 2019.
Touring wise, their tented production LEXICON has gone from strength to strength in its second year of touring; reaching across Europe from world-class circus festivals such as Biennale Internationale des Arts du Cirque, Marseille, to a sell-out stand closer to home in Narberth, West Wales.
BLOCK, NoFit State’s outdoor coproduction with Motionhouse, continued its busy schedule with over 60 shows across the year. From Birmingham and Newcastle to Luxembourg and Spain, the ever-popular show even won the Judge’s Choice Award at the International Theatre Festival in Ludwigshafen!
The NoFit State community programme continued to thrive, with youth and adult classes, Summer Schools, Children in Need supported outreach workshops and, not least, the fantastic community-led performance of Circus Punks.
The company’s Youth Circus performance troupe shows little sign of stopping either, with the young circus artists showing their skills with special performances of their outdoor show, Circus to the Streets, alongside their production of Circus Mundi at Welsh Youth Arts Festival’s, RawFfest.
Crucially, the year would not have been the same without some key collaborations and partnerships. Working both near and far, NoFit have balanced local partnerships with organisations such as Hijinx Theatre, with national collaborators such as the Roundhouse, supporting them on their recent ILINX project. In what represents a new venture for the organisation, NoFit have begun a three-way partnership with African companies, Circus Zambia and Rwandan drumming troupe Ingoma Nshya to develop a new performance in 2020.
The company have had the honour of acting as advocates for Welsh performing arts through presence at the British Council’s Edinburgh Showcase and International Society for Performing Arts Congress in New York. Beyond this, NoFit State has continued to build on its record of sector support, running a vibrant programme of professional masterclasses, young artist residencies and welcoming Company-ish as the first company to join the new Associate Artists scheme.
Starting with a long-anticipated return to the Roundhouse, 2020 is already underway and looks set to be an even bigger year for NoFit State, contemporary circus and the Welsh arts sector- head to www.nofitstate.org or follow NoFit State Circus on social media to find out more and keep in touch.
