Circus Connections Project | Bringing Communities Together Through Creativity

Circus Connections Project Builds Resilience in Flood-Affected Communities

When floods hit, they don’t just damage homes, they shake the heart of a community.

That’s why The Circus Connections: Fostering Intergenerational Creativity and Collaboration project was created. Thanks to funding from the Primary Health Network Flood Recovery Grants (Round 3, 2023), this unique initiative brought hope, laughter, and connection to flood-affected areas.

Led by Lisa Hort of Unique Collaborations and Jill Watkin of Circartus, the project was designed to boost wellness and resilience. It used two unlikely but powerful tools—circus arts and storytelling—to help people heal, connect, and grow.

Creativity With No Barriers

This wasn’t just about learning a few circus tricks. It was about breaking down walls between generations, cultures, and abilities. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members came together, discovering that creativity speaks a language everyone understands.

By sharing stories and collaborating on performances, participants learned to see the world through each other’s eyes. The result? More empathy, less prejudice, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Building Skills, Building Resilience

From balancing acts to crafting a narrative, participants walked away with new skills—and not just physical ones. They developed confidence, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of themselves and each other. These moments of personal growth helped improve both mental and emotional well-being.

A Stronger, More Connected Community

The Circus Connections project proved that when you combine creativity with collaboration, you can transform not just individual lives but entire communities. It’s a reminder that healing after hardship isn’t just about rebuilding structures—it’s about rebuilding connections.

As the project’s performances and workshops showed, when people create together, they grow together. And in flood-affected regions, that sense of unity is more valuable than ever.

See the full video here