By converting it into a circus school, a performance arts organization hopes to revitalize a historic Londonderry structure.
Each week, In Your Space Circus (IYSC) collaborates with more than 120 individuals.
The Old Cathedral School will be transformed thanks to a grant of £140,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The group plans to transform the Victorian-era structure into a venue for circus arts and will lease the structure from the nearby St. Columb's Cathedral.
Circus skills, street theater, visual arts, music, costume design, and theater are all included in IYSC's programs.
The organization's director Cath McBride stated: "We have been looking for a suitable home for the past 10 years, which has been difficult given the special needs of circus.
"We consider it an honor to serve as the stewards of one of Derry's most magnificent historical treasures.
"With this opportunity, we could not be happier. ".
The phrase "circus school" may conjure up an image of Homer Simpson enrolling in Krusty's Clown College, but it actually came into common usage during the late 20th century as modern circus gained popularity.
The Nouveau Cirque movement, which got its start in France in the 1970s, had a significant impact on contemporary circus in Europe. Organizations like Cirque Plume and Cirque du Soleil contributed greatly to the redefining of the circus arts by bringing in a more artistic and theatrical approach.
A wide variety of disciplines are included in modern circus, including acrobatics, aerial arts, juggling, clowning, diablo, unicycling, trapeze, stilt walking, dance, music, and theatre. Circus schools have been established as specialized learning and rehearsing spaces, frequently with specialized equipment.
Since the beginning of the 1990s, the movement has flourished throughout Ireland, with numerous organizations forming in cities like Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Wexford to provide alternative activities for both young and old.
Like Circomedia in Bristol or the National Centre for Circus Arts in London, some institutions even provide full-time degree programs.
John Guy Ferguson created the Flemish Gothic Old Cathedral School in 1891 as a schoolhouse attached to the St. Columb's Church of Ireland Cathedral. It is now a Grade B+ listed building.
It had been used as a school up until the early 1990s before falling into disrepair. It is one of only five buildings that directly exits on to the old Derry city walls.
The investment was a "very important milestone" for the cathedral and IYSC, according to Robert McGonigle, the parish administrator of St. Columb's.
Following the conclusion of phase one of its restoration, "The Old Cathedral School has experienced quite a few years of uncertainty," he said.
We entered into this lease agreement with IYSC as our tenant with high hopes. We're optimistic that it has the ability to guarantee the building's future. ".
The lottery fund will be used this year to support a number of historical projects, including the Old Cathedral School.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund described the project as "a significant milestone in the history of IYSC, allowing the organization to reach its full potential." It aimed to foster talent and draw artists from outside the city.
The Architectural Heritage Fund and Arts & Business NI have also contributed to the project.
