SARASOTA, Fla. — The Ringing Museum is gaining exposure across the globe this week. Two of their curators have been asked to present, virtually, at the Montreal International Circus Festival.
“I'm excited for the Ringling to participate in this because the circus community is inherently international so building bridges with colleagues from around the world is really important to us, it helps us grow our collection,” said one of the curators Jennifer Lemmer Posey.
As you walk through the Ringling, you’ll notice every piece in their circus collection has its own unique place.
“My primary role here is to put things on display and tell individual stories of these objects that then shed light on circus history,” said Posey.
Then there is the performance side of the Ringling. New shows continuously coming to Sarasota from countries near and far.
“It's very important for us to have our finger on the pulse of what’s being produced worldwide,” said Elizabeth Doud, the other curator presenting at the festival.
Doud specializes in the performance side.
These curators say it’s a great opportunity to attract performers from places like Europe, Australia and South America.
“We’re not only able to find out what’s going on out in the world but also let the world know what we have here,” said Doud. “I think The Ringling is under-celebrated internationally because not that many people know about it.”
There’s no time for clowning around. Posey said it’s challenging to pick just one or two pieces from the archives to highlight in a presentation when your circus has been around for well over a century.
“To actually be part of the group, speaking to it, is incredibly flattering to have reached a point that I know things that can be shared and meaningful to the community, means a great deal to me,” said Posey.
