14/09/2026
Directors Lab 2026! ✨
As part of IACC’s funding from the Arts Council’s International Residency Initiatives Scheme (IRIS) we ran our first ever Director’s Lab in partnership with TOHU in Montreal.
Directors Chantal McCormick (Fidget Feet) and Anthony Venisse (Montréal) mentored
three new Irish directors of aerial circus. This has been a dream of Chantal to run this course, since opening the IACC!
It is inspired by a UK directors course ran by Circulation in UK in 2006/07 with mentorship by Rose English.
· Ali Stanger worked with Patricia Cowan on a rope solo & also on ideas & tools for creating an ensemble acrobatic piece.
· Chloe Pisco worked with Ash Ashton, Marcela Pridavkova and Mats Osterveld. Chloe has an incredible project inspired by her years of diving with whales and this course supported her in building a site specific version of this work.
· Polina Shapkina had been working on “Hungry Ghosts” as part of the 4-week residency in Montreal & IACC with a performance of work in progress at Fidget Feet’s IADF this year. We continue to support Polly’s journey as a director and for this directors lab, she worked with Shane O’Leary & Lydia Moran on a new idea.
IACC as the National Aerial Circus Space is proud to continue to support the growth of the sector.
IACC has been successful with another Arts Council IRIS application & IACC with Lucy Medlycott from ISASCs, will support Polly & Ali on a trip to CINARS Bienalle in Montreal for international connections.
IACC is hugely grateful to the Arts Council for this continued support. Watch this space for more information on the successful applicants to the next Directors lab in Montréal planned for Feb 2027!
