Alternative lifestyle for russian street children

Dear Friends,

In 2012 our longterm dream has finally become true: 12 years after the organization was founded, we managed to open our own big circus tent for children that is functioning all year round. Before that we had only a small tent that was set every summer and kept in the garage for the rest of the year. The new tent is the whole world for the children we work with -- and it's important for them that the trainings, the rehearsals and the performances are conducted in this bright and colorful space where they can feel not only like young artists performing for the audience, but also like hosts welcoming guests in their own private territory, on their own terms.

The initial capital for the tent was donated by our private donor in Germany, and later we organized a fundraising campaign and cherished every small donation we got to finally build the tent, to construct the seats and the stage, to buy the necessary sound and light equipment. We still need to design the outside of the tent, which now looks just like an ordinary round building, but we believe that with the help of our supporters we can make this happen.

Our tent is a huge benefit for all our projects: now we are able to transfer our projects with children with disabilities (Special Child project) and children in a closed correctional institution (Circus behind the Fence project) at least partly to our own circus tent, so that the children will have a possibility to rehearse in a space very different from the dull pale green walls of their schools.

Please see for youself the joy of children from groups of social risk performing at the opening ceremony of the first circus tent for children in St.Petersburg -- on our photos.

Thanks for your support!

Upsala-Circus team