Selectionprocedure
Step 1: Preselection by Team Cirklabo (Annelien Verdeyen, Joren De Cooman, Jonas Van Soom)
The Team CIRKLABO carries out a preliminary selection of projects.
The selection criteria:
- The extent to which Cirklabo can provide technical and financial support for the project.
- The feasibility and achievability of the project's timeline within the operations of Cirklabo.
- The project budget must be feasible and realistic.
- The completeness of the file/documentation.
The selected applications proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Evaluation by the Reading Committee
The Reading Committee is composed with the aim of assessing projects in terms of content. The reading committee consists of 6 members. See below.
Each committee member rates the applications based on 4 criteria, assigning a score from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). The scores are weighted to calculate an overall score for each project..
The 5 evaluation criteria are:
A. General assessment: independent evaluation of the project without considering Cirklabo’s context.
B. Artistic development: contribution to the artistic growth of the involved artist(s) or company.
C. Relevance to the circus field (local, national, international): significance and contribution to the development and impact of circus art.
D. Sustainability: Project that is supported, achievable, and future-proof (only for co-productions).
E. Does the project have societal relevance, to what extent does this project focus on inclusion* and societal & cultural diversity? (for co-productions only).
The total score is calculated as follows:
- Blank Space: (A0.4) + (B0.35) + (C0.15)
- Co-productions: (A0.4) + (B0.15) + (C0.15) + (D*0.3) + (E*0.15)
Committee members can provide additional comments in 3 columns:
- Request to discuss an application during the committee meeting (YES OR NO).
- Feedback for the artists.
- Other remarks, such as tips for Cirklabo or interesting contacts for projects.
Overall Score and Ranking: individual scores from committee members lead to a ranking of applications. During the week of December 5, this ranking will be reviewed by the Reading Committee, after which the final ranking will be determined.
Step 3: Final selection
The artistic advisory board makes the ultimate selection based on the Reading Committee's ranking, in consultation with team CIRKLABO and considering available capacity (financial and logistical).
Step 4: Announcement of results
Candidates are notified of the results before the end of the year. They can request additional feedback if desired. For the residencies from January to June 2024, we are already giving as many residencies as possible. For the other residencies, we will consult with the artist involved from January 2024.
Composition of the CIRKLABO Reading Committee
The Reading Committee of Cirklabo plays a crucial role in selecting residents and promoting collaboration within our circus workshop. The committee comprises a Cirklabo coordinator and 6 members: 3 circus artists and 3 professionals from the cultural field. This diverse composition encourages various perspectives and experiences, aligning with Cirklabo’s 'artist-centered' concept.
The committee is refreshed each year for fresh insights. Members convene annually after the open call in the fall. The committee evaluates applications based on artistic quality, relevance to the circus field, and potential for Cirklabo.
The composition of the committee is proposed by Cirklabo and confirmed by the artistic advisory board. Geographic diversity and representation of different circus forms are sought for a broad perspective.
The Cirklabo Reading Committee is integral to the selection and quality of residents within our circus creation space.