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About JLCA.
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About the business.
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The business was formed in the summer of 1996, when it became apparent that Jay needed an identity for his entertainment activities, and is still owned and operated by Jay. There are no other staff - additional labour is bought in as necessary for jobs as they come in. Meanwhile, Jay is principal performer, administrator, head cook and bottle-washer.
JLCA continues to expand steadily, has a growing client list, and is continuing to seek new areas of business. Of particular interest at the moment is the expansion of circus skills teaching to non-commercial organisations, with particular attention to the development of more formal teaching in schools, both mainstream and in schools for children with special educational needs and emotional and behavioural difficulties.
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Circus arts - a definition.
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Circus Arts refers to all of the skills and practices that people normally associate with 'old-fashioned' circuses, but in a modern context notable for the absence of tents or animals. This includes a very diverse range of mostly familiar disciplines and skills, such as juggling, clowning, face-painting, stilt walking, unicycling, etc.
Nowadays, you are much more likely to see examples of circus-based skills at your local shopping centre or high street, rather than under a big top. The increasing use of skilled artistes for commercial promotion and entertainment means that there is a growing market for experienced individuals and groups who are available to travel extensively for an extrememly wide range of assignments. One of the principal aims of JLCA is to fulfil the needs of this market.
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Our clients.
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Over the years, JLCA has represented an extensive and wide-ranging list of clients. These have ranged from individuals to multinational plc's. The box below illustrates some of the companies and organisations for whom we have worked.
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There have, of course, been many other satisfied clients over the years. Jay also has considerable experience of street theatre and prolonged touring.
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The services we provide.
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JLCA provides skilled artistes and specialist equipment for a wide variety of events. Most engagements need only standard skills and costumes, which are always available. Other jobs may require costumes to be made to order, or the obtaining of specialist equipment, or the provision of consumables. The main areas of work are :-
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- Walkabout and mix'n'mingle artistes : Essentially, walkabout artistes are modern day clowns. You wont see oversized boots and multicoloured fright wigs (not unless you ask really nicely), but nonetheless walkabouts are great at generating mirth and pleasure at the personal level, whatever the setting - shopping centres, private parties, corporate fundays, balls, fétes, and galas; in fact anywhere where there are lots of people free to come and go as they please.
- Balloon modellers : Everybody loves balloons. A good balloon modeller can amuse and delight at a very personal level, and always gets to leave his or her audience with a memento (the balloons, stupid) of the encounter. Often (mistakenly) thought of as entertainment for kids, the magnetic attraction between balloons and alcohol is legendary.
- Stilt walkers : Visual impact on a stick, so to speak. Although stilt walkers can sometimes be a little limited in what they can do, they can also have a truly stunning impact in large crowds, particularly in carnival or procession situations, especially when using made-for-the-occasion costumes.
- Circus skills workshops
: Giving people of all ages the opportunity to juggle, walk stilts, fall off unicycles, and drop things to their heart's content. Unbeatable hands-on entertainment.
- Face painting : An old favourite. Everyone is familiar with the sight of a crowd of fifteen juvenile robots or Frankenstein's monsters roaring around a carnival or museum. We prefer to use top quality face painters, since we believe that really good quality face painting can make a great visual impact. No daubers!
- Training : Teaching your staff circus skills, such as balloon modelling, juggling, or face-painting, is a useful way to add value to your staff in the leisure sector. Alternatively, you might wish to give your staff an incentive, by taking them on a trapeze or tightrope course!
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Click on any of the highlighted links above to see more about the topics in question. If there is anything that has not been mentioned above which you think we may be able to help you with, pick up the phone and contact us.
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What we charge you and how we assess costs.
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As already stated on the home page, job costs have to be assessed individually. However, as a guide to what costs might be, the following might be useful :-
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- Per appearance costs are broadly in the range of £150 to £300, but please read the next point.
- Typical costs for jobs within a hundred miles or so of our base in Leicestershire, are normally around £175 to £250, per appearance.
- Extended travelling necessarily pushes up our prices - typically at 25-35 pence per mile, though we will normally allow the first hundred miles each way before increasing our charges.
- Unfashionable days of the week / seasons will often cost you less.
- High days and holidays will sometimes be more expensive, and will also be less prone to discounting and horse trading.
- Make us an offer - we're not afraid to say 'no'!
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If you think you are a special case, or you have smart ideas about funding, contact us, we are always willing to listen to suggestions.
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Contact us - quotes, advice, idle chit-chat.
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If you would like to make or discuss a booking, you can find our contact details here, where you can also request a promotional pack.
Please also get in contact if you think you might be able to work for us as an artiste, or if you are an agency or other leech, er sorry, valuable source of employment.
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Mmmm ...
The nerve
