Flipside Circus is Queensland's largest youth arts company with a national reputation for excellence in training and performance. They create high quality performances and artistic programs for and with young people. The company provides pathways for young artists to become professional and for professional artists to ‘come home’ and share their skills as trainers/guest artists. This symbiotic relationship provides employment for artists between tours/performances and exposes participants to some of the world’s best artists. Flipside have a proven history of delivering high quality arts activities in regional Queensland and arTour has been working with them yearly on the delivery of a residency/workshop tour.

In 2020 Flipside Circus visited Charters Towers, Julia Creek, Winton, Boulia, Jundah, Quilpie, Tambo, Blackall, Longreach and Esk.

arTour has seen first-hand the demand from presenters and workshop participants for Flipside Circus to return to regional communities regularly. Their workshop tours are consistently booked out – both in terms of dates available for venues; and the public booking tickets to join a workshop. By returning to communities regularly, Flipside has been able to strengthen relationships with presenters and deepen engagement with the community. By visiting new communities they are able to test new relationships and build new markets for circus/arts programs within Queensland.

This video case study captures the highlights of Flipside Circus visiting the Somerset Regional Council for the first time and focus’ on creating and expanding local performance skills, building self-confidence in young people, connecting communities and empowering participants to tell their own stories through circus.