Over the last eight years, what started as a side passion project under its parent company, 7Textures, has now grown and evolved to become one of the most immersive and interactive performance experiences in Philadelphia. Ghostly Circus is redefining what the modern circus can look like by curating experiences that support and celebrate the vast creative community, as well as uplifting its audiences.
Ghostly Circus Project Director, Creative Director, and Founder, Lauren Raske, was first approached to use her immersive performance experience to bring a fire show to Laurel Hill Cemetery.
“Through this experience, Ghostly Circus has grown to be much larger than how the original conversations started. There was just so much potential and creative opportunity to be evolutionary in how and what we present... and how to make it as immersive and interactive as possible.”
Ghostly Circus currently exists as an annual performance showcase-extravaganza, hosting its 8th annual show in August 2021 at Fort Mifflin, an incredibly special and underutilized space in Philadelphia (not to mention one of the most haunted sites in America). Their performances are famously known for the intensely entertaining fire shows and aerial stunts, although you truly never know what you’ll see at a Ghostly Circus show. Their expertise has allowed them not to become comfortable in creating their art, but rather allows them to push the bar by showcasing new acts, incorporating new features, manipulating new props, pulling in new art forms, and always continuing to evolve and better the performances in different ways.
Ghostly Circus Event Producer and Art Director, EZ says:
“One really beautiful thing about Ghostly Circus is how it lifts the artists just as much as the shows lift the viewers. Ghostly Circus does an amazing job at fostering new artists and performers and empowering them to feel confident in sharing their craft, whether that craft fits the normal mold of a circus or not.”
As Ghostly Circus started as a small side project, being a part of CultureTrust has allowed them to grow and evolve beyond the original vision… and they aren’t stopping anytime soon.
“We are beyond excited to grow under CultureTrust because of how many more people can be involved. Self capacity can only push us so far, and we can’t grow this alone. We can only grow if people want to grow with us!”
We all know how incredibly important it is to recognize and support local arts however you can - especially an organization that exists to lift artists and the community while creating a uniquely immersive space to express creativity. If you want to get involved with Ghostly Circus (artistically, creatively, production, etc.) click here to stay connected and keep up to date with upcoming events.
