Where are the strong women of circus?

As circus goes mainstream, women are being treated as decoration not skilled performers. A new women's program at Circus Oz aims to counter this worrying trend.

On Thursday in Melbourne, Circus Oz launches its inaugural Strong Women Program; a new initiative designed to build a dedicated pathway for women in contemporary circus through a series of masterclasses, mentoring and scholarships.

Gender equity is nothing new for Circus Oz; it’s been a hallmark of the company since its earliest days, says General Manager, Lou Oppenheim.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts