The mission of Performers Without Borders (PWB) is to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of disadvantaged young people through teaching circus skills and performing arts.
Partaking in a physical activity at a young age has been shown to be a great indicator of future mental and physical health and academic achievement, so our work can be an important early intervention with long lasting and broad ranging benefits for a wide range of vulnerable young people (see Our Impact for more).
Extended Circus Arts Instruction (CAI) with a social focus has been shown to have significant benefits and lasting impacts on physical and mental wellbeing for disadvantaged young people across the world, in PWB’s own 15 years of international projects and from many others.
This is based on a growing body of research expounding the benefits of learning circus skills and putting on performances.
Learn more about PWB
Circus arts have been shown to improve physical and mental well being as well as promote confidence, team skills, self-esteem, mindfulness and socialising. It is more accessible and inclusive than many traditional sports, including for young people with complex and additional needs.
Early engagement in physical activity has also been shown to improve academic achievement and the likelihood of doing physical activity in later life, which has additional long-term benefits.
Please see our: Blackburn and Swiss Cottage Evaluation Report page for our latest PWB-UK research and evaluation projects.
You can also learn and raise money for PWB by using: this referal link with our sponsorship partners Learned.Live.
PWB-International currently does outreach work in India, Kenya and Nicaragua every year between January and April. We also support shorter projects with the refugees in Calais and Dunkirk.
PWB-UK is developing more outreach projects across the UK, we are currently working with LAF, refugees and asylum seekers and the VI communities via grant and internal funding. We are keen to get in touch with new partners, funding bodies and interested volunteers. We have also started an initiative to get more social circus in the UK for everybody, are you interested in starting your own project with a community close to your heart? Contact us with PWB Produces!
Learn more about PWB-UK
26th June 2024
Who are you? It’s Boogie. Dr. Boogie. At Least that was my name on our PWB tour to the Philippines. And when I introduced myself in our giant circles at the Filippino schools, I’d point to the big bold “Dr.…
20th March 2024
20th March 2024
20th March 2024
This carousel contains links to all the tours that PWB have ever done since 2007. We advertise for volunteers from April to July ready to go on tour the next January. To find out more about what it means to volunteer on a tour, head to our ‘Volunteering’ page.
Find out more