The associations of CircusInformation Finland and Dance Info Finland have decided to merge their activities.
The new Circus and Dance Info Finland will be operational from the beginning of next year, and the old associations will be dissolved.
The purpose of the merger is to create a more effective and stronger organisation to meet the future challenges of an evolving field. The new association will work to promote and raise the profile of the circus and dance sectors, maintaining existing services and developing new services and activities for professionals in the sectors.
“The merger with Dance Info Finland is a timely and bold step in our structural development,” says circus artist Salla Hakanpää, who was elected chair of the new association’s board.
“I strongly believe that in addition to the financial and operational synergies, the merger will open up opportunities for even wider cooperation in the performing arts field”, she continues.
The new association will provide services to all circus and dance operators, not just its members. In addition, like the information centres before it, it will provide services to influencers, decision-makers, presenters and the media. Advocacy on behalf of the circus and dance sectors is one of its core tasks.
“Circus Info and Dance Info have a long history of project and other cooperation. We look forward to working in a joint organisation that will give us broader shoulders and a more solid base to work for the circus and dance sectors. As an information centre, we do not determine the artistic development of the sectors, but the other challenges and development work are very similar in the sectors,” says Sanna Rekola, Executive Director of the Dance Information Centre.
The employees of the information centres will be transferred to the new association as old employees (so-called transfer of business).