SCOAP

A New Arts Organisation Focused on Bringing Circus and Outdoor Arts to Swindon

The Swindon Circus and Outdoor Arts Project is a brand new adventure for us. In some ways the idea has been brewing for years, but at the same time, in its new form, it felt like it hit us in the face in May 2023. So, with loads of support from a bunch of people who either seem to care about Swindon, outdoor arts, or both, here we are, at the beginning …

Our current aim with SCOAP is this:

• Bring some decent circus and outdoor arts to Swindon.
• Make it as accessible as we can.
• Bring people together to explore ways we can do it more and do it better.

We are Jacob Hirsch-Holland and Darine Flanagan, and together we founded the Swindon Circus and Outdoor Arts Project (SCOAP).

Jacob is Swindon born and bred. Growing up and still partly-based at Lower Shaw Farm in West Swindon, he has always been into the community vibe and developed his love of circus and outdoor shenanigans at events in and around Swindon. Jacob is a doer of all things circus and works with a bunch of different companies doing things from rope walking and juggling shows to rigging and lorry driving.

Darine came to Swindon from the rugged west coast of Ireland and has found a connection with the town through Lower Shaw Farm. As well as performing hula hoop, acrobatics, and clown, she finds joy in bringing people together for shows, workshops, games, and general good times.