We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Harrison Sweeney. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Harrison below.

Harrison, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I started my circus career a lot later than most people – I was 24 when I began full-time circus training. Most others in my class were either younger than me, or had been training circus since childhood. I spent a long time believing I was playing ‘catch up’, and wishing I had started a lot earlier in my life. As I progressed in my training, I realised that this feeling made me a lot more driven, and kept me focused on my goals. I also had a lot more life experience to draw from when it came to act creation and show development. This breadth of experience really enriched my art. I felt a lot more sure of myself and what I wanted to present in my performances. Looking back now, I’m very grateful to have started when I did.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a circus performer, dancer, and theatre maker. My performance style combines beautiful, elegant artistry with a bold and sassy persona to dazzle and arouse. I believe in blending circus, dance, and theatre to create compelling acts/shows that offer more than entertainment – my passion is in making work that both inspires and challenges audiences. I have worked across a range of mediums from stage to screen, including theatres and cabaret venues, immersive theatre/site-specific installations, music videos, short films, street festivals, and nightclubs. I have performed as both a soloist and ensemble member – devising work collectively, and working under directors/choreographers. As well as performing, my work extends across all aspects of production, to choreographing, directing, stage management/tech, and producing.
I have a Bachelor of Circus Arts from the National Institute of Circus Arts, and a Diploma of Musical Theatre from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, both located in Australia, where I am originally from. I now live in London, where I aim to continue developing my practice as a circus artist and theatre maker.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the engagement from an audience. It’s one of the things I love most about live theatre, and why it will always feel like my home. When working on a new show or act, I’m always thinking about what I want the audience to think or feel in each moment – it’s always about that relationship. Engagement does not always mean enjoyment either. One thing I really like to do in my work is shock and surprise my audience, usually to provoke an emotional response that makes them consider their lives more deeply. Shock and fear are often great tools for this.
There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing you’ve made the audience feel something.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think one of the best ways to support artists right now is to take more risks as an audience member. We get so comfortable in rewatching shows we already like, or letting the algorithm tell us what to watch based on what we’ve already seen, that its easy to get stuck in a bubble of nostalgia. Indeed a great many new works these days are either remakes or adaptations. There are so many new stories out there, just waiting for an audience to engage with open minds. So please, take a risk and go see something you wouldn’t normally think to – you may just surprise yourself! Art isn’t meant to be easy, so be daring and courageous. Have a curiosity for experiences that are different from your own, a perspective you may not have considered. Risk-taking audiences encourage risk-taking in performance. Supporting artists to pursue their vision allows for a more authentic expression of humanity.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @harrisonsweeney14

Image Credits

Rob Blackburn
Dan Rabin