Details of the shock decision to close Circus Oz are emerging as circus company members meet to try to save the revolutionary 44-year-old troupe, which started as an artist collective and put Australia’s larrikin spirit on the world stage.
On Friday, the board of Circus Oz released a statement saying the members of the company had voted to reject reforms proposed by its funding partners – choosing instead to wind up its operations.
Former artistic director and co-CEO Mike Finch, who is one of the company members, said the wording of the announcement “failed to respect the intentions of the owners of the company” and had caused a day of “pain and confusion”.
If the company winds up as proposed, 23 employees will lose their jobs, and more than 100 circus artists will lose access to the building and contracted work for their recently announced Melbourne show Everything But the Circus and other planned 2022 shows.
“We are all feeling shocked,” Finch said. “I’ve seen messages posted that people are in tears because they think the membership agreed to close the company…
