What is good for the CFA is good for circus!

To all Circus Friends and friends of circus I wish you all the very best in the future in private capacities or when following this unique art form called circus.
I send warm congratulations to Frazer for changing and forwarding this website that can only be good for circus. It is true, that I have been a voice of criticism but it has always been constructive - to find better ways. I have always been the same even when tenting past years with shows of variable sizes 'can't we find the better way of doing it?' One particular circus would off load the main tent on a Sunday to get at the King Poles only to re-load it afterwards (just one example of wasted effort).
My wife Sheila (who was a devoted circus fan until 1970) and I started our show under canvas with one second hand marquee and off cut timber, with a very low budget, after just three weeks of hard work - from scratch - we were on tour. I say possitive thought works.
For those who are not familier with me, Sir Robert Fossett was my great grand father. I would consider him to be one of the main pillars that started tenting circus.
I have no real criticisms of the shows of today, clearly they look good but what minor points I might make would be to them and not for this forum anyway.
Frazer has kindly asked that I might suggest ways of forwarding the association. I do hope that I can. Appreciate that the intention is to forward the whole of circus without favour.

Marketing
This is the word. The circus business follows the age old pattern of 'compeating with each other' rather than for the good of all. This can only help those who are against it and I do not mean just performing animal lobbies.
There is also artistes who call themselves 'circus artistes' but, seemingly, do not like its traditions, its past people or the thought of tenting. These people weaken the idea further.
Then we have the mis-use of the words 'circus' and 'clown' both to me mean tradition and certainly they do to the general public. I have had heated disputes with 'fellow' artistes
who will not acknowledge that without 200 years of the old timers promoting tenting to all
regions of this country the words (these people get a living from) would not be understood by the general public much.
Appreciate, I am not suggesting the CFA gets embloiled in circus management or contractural matters that are depthful. I am suggesting that it should me a helpful marketing service - with a code. It is already but I do know it can do much better. CFA members should unite with one understanding, to make the association more important than just an occasdional rally and then take a back seat that some might do.

This site can beecome a central platform to generate interest and 'marketing'. The CFA did spend a large sum to help form the historical collection at Sheffield - but for what purpose? What is it for and who can reach it? Here then is a great opportunity to interest the general public across the land who will then be inspired to visit a circus!
The Stage and Television Today is promoting its archive of vast pages from 1880 to be accessed on-line with prices from £5 for one day to £150 for a full year. This is pricey to me but the idea is good. Why not do this? Open up the collection at Sheffield via this site to the general public to view via the Internet and place a fee for downloading photos and historical pages.
Make it very easy to do it. The general public are most ignorant of our business - then let us educate them. Circus artistes would only be too keen to promote themselves, it should not be left to the popular press and magazines to do this (on a slow week!) we should be doing it all the time. Make circus photos easy to see as your fellow American site does.
Make the Sheffield collection easy to access - at a price. The potential is enormous and circus can only benifit.

Good Luck.

Hi Tom

I think you have a great Idea there, we have a CFA meeting on Sunday and I will bring this up

Regards and keep the good ideas coming

Frazer

Thanks frazer for this support. I am only making suggestions to help. Thoughts and ideals.
Of course we face the subject of costs! But if the ideas work then it would be vastly profitable. On refrection I do feel that the CPA may consider helping with any site upgrade
if it is to promote them more? It is in their interests.
I still say circus is all for fun and pleasure! For us engaged in it and enthusiasts too. It is the main area (in my view) that tours to make people happy - the cinema is not promoting much joy if any, or TV and good music that cheers is no longer played - anywhere. It does seem that joy is not to be encouraged.

Hope to meet with you somewhere.

Tom