LifeLine features a community cast of 150 people from all walks of life who will perform Europe’s largest highwire spectacle over the River Corrib in the heart of Galway City. LifeLine will draw on the transformative power of circus arts to deliver wellbeing impact and provoke discourse on mental health across the island of Ireland.
People of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities will learn the dynamic art of highwire walking before joining world renowned highwire artists Oliver Zimmermann, Andrea Loreni and Ellis Grover alongside participants from across Europe to perform a stunning display of hope, strength and resilience over one of Ireland’s most iconic waterways.
LifeLine will culminate with the world premiere of BassAlto, a visual and poetic circus show by a new all-female company of professional wirewalkers performing alongside ten local community performers. BassAlto will be performed on a web of wires suspended at different heights with 360° audience visibility where performers will together discover the magic of walking the sky. BassAlto was created as part of a Creative Europe funded co-operation project between Ecole de Cirque de Bruxelles, Galway Community Circus, The Serious Road Trip Romania, Université libre de Bruxelles and the European Funambulism Network.
Galway Community Circus is a centre of excellence for youth and social circus and is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022. LifeLine is produced and presented by Galway Community Circus with their partners from the European Funambulism Network and is funded by the Arts Council Ireland Open Call Award, Creative Europe, Erasmus+, Mental Health Ireland, Finnish Institute UK & Ireland and Galway City and County Councils.
In conjunction to the LifeLine event the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland, Jigsaw Galway and Galway Community Circus will organise a panel discussion on youth and mental health. More information and registration link here.
LifeLine and BassAlto at the Galway International Arts Festival, Saturday 16 July, 1.30pm–6.30pm (BassAlto 5.30pm). Claddagh Quay, Galway. Free event. More information on the Galway International Arts Festival website.
Photo credit: Áine Kilgallon
