The MEC (Malaga Circus School), is a non-profit association formed by circus professionals, educators, students and parents of students, with the aim of carrying out cultural and sports activities related to the circus, in addition to managing the project of "La Carpa de las estrellas" . A circus school that prioritizes association.
Currently, the tent is in a unsafe state, without the possibility of repair (being impossible to repair its numerous cracks and leaks due to the general wear and tear of the entire tent as a result of its exposure to the sun and extreme weather conditions and with some metal structures that needed to be replaced ), so, at this time, we find ourselves on hold with the start of activities and looking for alternatives that allow us to start working.
This problem is aggravated in the current situation, since our main sources of income (classes, shows and contributions from partners and friends, many of them artists) have been considerably diminished as a result of the application of the COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Because of this, a crowdfunding is our best chance of acquiring a new tent to give continuity to our project and continue offering cultural and training activities in a space with the proper conditions; From the result of this campaign, it depends on whether we can change the tent for a second-hand one (€ 13,000), which would allow us to continue operating for now or buy a new one (€ 31,000) that allows us greater long-term security and given the good reception of the project, continue growing.
We have established, for the duration of the campaign, exclusive rewards such as face-to-face or online classes and we will also offer free streamed shows.
"We are creating little stars ... Help our tent to be filled with them."
We are located in the village of Pizarra (Málaga) , in the rural environment of Valle del Guadalhorce , this makes our project unique, since it brings our cultural and sports activities especially closer to a population that in general tend to have fewer cultural, sports and training offers than populations with a greater number of inhabitants.
Our main activities are focused on the training, creation and exhibitioning of circus shows. Basing our pedagogy on the promotion of social, physical and emotional well-being (through principles such as the importance of a balanced diet and physical activity as a way of life, environmental education, solidarity, teamwork, emotional intelligence, the spirit of self-improvement, etc.): Our classes are aimed above all at children and young people in the region, students with special needs and groups of young people at risk of social exclusion.
On the other hand, our space functions as a catalyst for the region, our setting being a benchmark in the area; In this sense, we have performed more than 100 shows in which both local and international artists have performed before the public of the region, allowing, in many cases, emerging artists from the area to perform for the first time in front of their neighbors. We have also organized numerous circus meetings and we give our space to other groups (such as musicians, artisans, artists or dancers) not necessarily related to the circus; At the initiative of this first group we have also organized few Jam Sessions .
Buy a new circus tent.
With € 13,000 we can buy a second-hand tent of the same dimensions as ours (17x16) and pay the corresponding taxes and expenses, which would allow us to continue working as before for a while longer or buy a new one for € 31,000 ** (€ 20,415 of the value of the tent plus expenses and taxes) which would allow us a greater long-term stability and perhaps pay some gratitude to the teachers who have offered to teach as rewards.
The purchase of a new tent would allow us not only to maintain our activity, but also to strengthen a growing project, which already has deep roots in the region, improving its security and solvency.
As artists, educators and families of students, our main motivation is the development of the school, the training of our students and the transmission of the values and culture of the circus.
Being able to develop our activities in an optimal way and being able to grow as a socio-educational project are our main priorities.
Our project is aimed mainly at children and young people in the region, characterized by its rural environment and made up of small towns and some urban centers.
We wanted to carry out a campaign that values how much we have to offer, for this we have turned to friends, artists, neighbors, students and people who, in one way or another, have participated in this project, to help us either with material, support videos, online classes, shows, to share a bit of how much life is lived inside this tent ; to all of them, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!.
For this campaign, a work commission was formed made up of partners and friends of the MEC (Malaga Circus School); circus professionals, musicians, teachers, parents and students of the "Carpa de las Estrellas"; Each one contributing from their areas of knowledge.
The commission is made up of:
Anthony Jones, President of the MEC.
Auxiliadora Perez Brescia, Vice President of the MEC
Lourdes, social worker and partner of the MEC
Josian, father of a student and partner of the MEC
Syl Aire, aerealist, teacher of the school and secretary of the MEC
Jose Manuel Podadera, musician and partner of the MEC
Rodrigo, circus artist and member of the MEC
Luna, MEC student
Afrika, MEC student