Georgian circus artists demand to allow them performing at schools

Circus artists went out to protest at the Georgian Ministry of Education. They complained about the lack of work and demanded that the ban on paid performances in schools be lifted.

According to the protesters, the ban on making paid performances for schoolchildren, introduced in 2006, deprived them of their main source of incomes. Several years ago the Tbilisi circus was put up for sale; and the artists lost their work also there.

"We mainly worked in Turkey; however, the situation has worsened there too, and our performances are no longer needed," said Ilya Gabuniya, a circus artist.

According to his story, artists have prepared a programme for schools and kindergartens. Children from low-income families will be allowed to watch the show for free; and the maximum ticket price for the rest is only five laris (about two US dollars).

It would be especially important to give performances in the countryside, Mr Gabuniya has noted. "I'm ready to take you to regions where children have never seen a clown or an illusionist," the "News-Georgia" quotes the artist as saying.

One of the artists, Giorgi Makaridze, a clown, has gone on a hunger strike.

The press service of the Georgian Ministry of Education was perplexed about the artists' protest, saying that circus performances are not part of the educational process, and the sale of tickets for them is outside the competence of the Ministry, the "Sputnik Georgia" reports.