The main objective of the "Young Start for Circus Art" project was to enhance the international capacity of circus and cultural organizations to improve the quality of services and increase access for young people with fewer opportunities. We aimed to achieve both short-term and long-term objectives. In the short term, we improved partner organizations’ activities by successfully implementing the project, involving youth in creating the "Circus-Youth-Circle," and reaching young people facing economic, social, and health challenges. In the long term, we collaborated with local communities and governments to create sustainable systems ensuring that circus and cultural services remained accessible to disadvantaged youth. Additionally, we adopted audience development strategies to enhance engagement with young people beyond the project’s duration. The project aligned with EU priorities of inclusion and diversity and fostered innovation and quality in youth work. By focusing on shared learning and international cooperation, we created lasting mechanisms for youth participation in cultural and circus activities, building a more inclusive cultural landscape.
We applied for this project to address the shared challenges faced by all partner organizations in youth work, cultural engagement, and social inclusion. Each partner, though from different backgrounds, shared the goal of empowering young people, particularly those with fewer opportunities. The key motivation is the need for practical, experience-based learning through collaboration, as traditional methods fall short. Some of the partners face increasing social anxiety among young people, leading to reduced participation in cultural activities, Lithuanian partner focuses on economically disadvantaged youth. By working together, we aimed to share knowledge, develop innovative approaches, and address these evolving challenges. All partners seeked to expand its international reach to counter declining participation and meet the growing interest in international cultural connections and aimed to find new strategies for engaging youth with fewer opportunities. This project provided the platform for mutual learning and innovation to better serve the young people in each country.