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This article collection is the product of the Culture Has an Impact! seminar that was held in Tampere, Finland in December 2013. This celebration seminar was the high point of a 5-year run of two national social circus projects administrated by Tampere University’s Centre for Practise as Research in Theatre. The seminar was organized partly in collaboration with the Aladdin’s Lamp network of Pirkanmaa region and the Effective Circus project. The Effective Circus project (2011-2014) continued the work started with the national Social Circus
project (2009-2011). Both projects were funded by the European Social Fund (through the North Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, Finland). In these projects we established social circus as a permanent part of the Finnish circus scene and the wellbeing services purchased by municipalities. While the first project focused on finding the good practises in social circus teaching, the second project went a little further. The aim was to prove that there are indeed wellbeing effects that can be reached with social circus. The Culture Has an Impact! seminar served as a platform for the project to both broadcast its results,
and to ignite an international discussion on the future of social circus studies globally. As an immediate result of the seminar, a network for circus researchers, The Global Institute for Circus Studies was formed. This publication can be thought to be the first practical product of this new network, as it showcases the work done by many of the founding members of the network. These articles introduce different social circus projects and evaluations going on around the world, from New Zealand and Canada to Finland, France, Italy, Ireland and even afghanistan. We are proud and happy to present this publication and hope it to be the first of many to come! [editor summary]

This guide offers the actors in the social circus field the keys to the study and validation of the effects of the circus on wellbeing. The guide also explains how to collect information on these effects by using surveys and interviews, and for processing the information and compiling an information package without major investments in research. Any circus performer can easily collect at least a minimal amount of feedback. trained researchers can be asked for assistance when necessary.
The purpose of studying the impact of circus is to collect information in order to develop circus activity and to explain the significance of circus to its organisers and purchasers, for example the municipal sector. Impact study hopes to find answers to the following questions: how does social circus promote wellbeing? Why should social circus be organised?
In social circus everyone gets to practice and perform tricks and stunts. the attention is directed towards controlling the body and the equipment, on balance and movement. the atmosphere in the circus is encouraging and mistakes are expected. Participation in group activities with others creates community spirit and gives participants the confidence to perform. Social circus has many wellbeing effects, and it is important to make them visible. This guide for conducting research on a social circus can be modified to collect impact data also on other services. [editor summary]