Circus In The Trees - Artist Residency Program

This program is designed to help foster the projects of emerging and professional artists and is not limited to any specific art form. Although originally structured for aerial circus and parkour, the facility has a capacity to bend to many different uses. We welcome circus artists, dancers, writers, musicians, actors, visual artists, choreographers, film makers, photographers and everyone in between! Artistic teams of up to 10 people can be housed on site with a variety of accommodation styles. Each space can be used “as is” or we have on-site personnel to adapt it to any given project. This includes riggers, set design and construction. The property is located in south-western Ontario. The studios are surrounded by forests, a large pond, wetlands and farmlands. An authentically inspiring place to create.

"We have a secret spot in Scotland, Ontario where we have gone for the past decade when we need to create, grow and develop our ideas, It is truly a magical place where we feel free, burst with creativity and our sparks can start the path to realize their full potential. Sabrina, Jonah and family are the perfect hosts and the land is the perfect set. We look forward to a lifetime of creation in this nurturing wonderland" The Goodtimes

There are five main work spaces in and around the building:

The Aerial Room has the highest ceilings at 25’ with a floor dimension of 20’ x 24’. There is an extra section to this space that has 12’ ceilings and a footprint of 20’ x 10’.
The Parkour Gym has sprung gymnastics flooring covering the majority of the space. The room has an overall measurement of 42’ x 29’ with the open space measuring 24’ x 29’.
Studio C measures 17’ x 32’. It has a 11’ aluminum truss system for lower rigging capabilities. The truss can also be removed to create a more open space.
The Gathering Room is a comfortable space for people to do just that, gather. It is 21’ x 27’ and comes with couches, tables, and chairs, all rearrangeable to suite your gathering needs.
Finally, our outdoor areas are vast. The yard in front of the main building is home to a large stage area of 40’ wide x 24’ deep. The stage platform itself is only set up when needed and has a permanent steel rigging frame above it that has a height of 26’. Other areas on the property could also be explored and used for site specific ideas.

Accommodation at Circus In The Trees is extremely varied:

BUNKIES

Firstly, is “the Bunkie”, located just behind the aerial studio. It has a lovely view of the pond. This is a four-season dwelling with loft sleeping quarters and a kitchenette as well as a full bathroom right beside. This is an ideal spot for writers to do their work in peace.

TENTS

In the summer and shoulder seasons there are 2 pioneer-style tents located on the other side of the pond. They have amazing views of the pond and unbelievable sunsets. These rustic abodes have all the necessities needed for a comfortable stay. You can see many pictures of them here on Airbnb: TENT ONE | TENT TWO

MAIN BUILDING

The main building also has two bedrooms upstairs from the studios next to our offices. These spaces are fantastic for bigger groups who don’t mind sharing space with one another. The building has a communal kitchen and bathroom area that all are welcome to use. There is a wood-shop on site that is staffed by CITT personnel. Rates vary depending on your space requirements, length of stay, and scope of project. If you’re looking to offset costs, there are opportunities for community engagements such as showcases, workshops, readings, exhibits or other imagined creative offerings!

To help better understand what Circus In The Trees has to offer, here are some past projects:

Charissa Wilcox spent the early summer months of 2021 building her travelling circus stage in the CITT yard. Later that same fall, the completed project returned to perform its inaugural circus show, “Circus Sundae”.

Nicole Malbeuf spent a week delving into a new one-woman show creation. Having intensive, uninterrupted time meant she was able to generate an impressive amount of material and bring in dramaturge Monica Dotter guiding the next steps.

Diana Lopez-Soto came with her team of collaborators to further develop an ambitious project started in Mexico in 2019. It will be interesting to seeing how this beautiful project develops and transforms in the coming years.

Our very first artists-in-residence, The Goodtimes; Lindsay, Ian, Roxie-Jean and Pepper have written an album and new show during summer’s spent on the compound. This family of entertainers have brought their amazing talents to CITT many times and always leave with new energy and amazing aspirations! Watching their successes unfold each time has been a rewarding experience for all of us here at CITT.
www.thegoodtimes.ca | www.spacechums.ca | www.themercinaries.com | www.torontobagpiper.com