Tour map for Giffords 2020 Circus The Hooley,  postponed to 2021 thumbnail 1
Tour map for Giffords 2020 Circus The Hooley,  postponed to 2021 thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Tour map for Giffords 2020 Circus The Hooley, postponed to 2021

Map
January 2020 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This poster-size folding map was produced by Giffords Circus to accompany the tour of The Hooley, their circus inspired by the ancient magic of Celtic culture, intended for 2020. Images and information relating to folk and fairy tales on one side of the map related to the route and locations of their tour, with grounds on the other. 50,000 copies were printed; 30,000 were sent to mailing list subscribers in January 2020, made available for sale online, and were meant to be sold at the circus on tour, serving as advertisement, guide and souvenir for their 20th anniversary circus. Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 however and the ensuing national lockdown announced by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 23 March 2020, the circus could not take place and was postponed until 2021.

The artwork and marketing produced by Giffords is as individual and imaginatively produced as their shows, partly due to the artistic flair of their late founder Nell Gifford, and to the work of Giffords art department. The map is an example of excellently designed and produced circus marketing material, continuing in the tradition of innovative marketing material produced by the earliest circus, Astley's. The map's digitally created cover was inspired by Victorian silhouettes, with hand-drawn illustrations by Joseph Avery, and research by Hannah Olley.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTour map for Giffords 2020 Circus <i>The Hooley</i>, postponed to 2021 (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Offset litho on paper
Brief description
Folding map produced by Giffords Circus to accompany the tour of The Hooley, their circus intended to take place 9 April to 27 September 2020, but postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19
Physical description
Concertina double-sided folding map, the front cover illustrated with the silhouette of a fairy playing a harp in the woods against a starlit sky, the back listing the tour dates and grounds of Giffords' circus tour intended for 2020 but postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19. The map features the route verso with images related to myths and legends of the areas to be visited on the tour, the verso features the corresponding images with more information about the myths and legends. The lower border verso features the tour locations and dates.
Dimensions
  • Height: 75cm
  • Width: 49.8cm
Credit line
Given by Giffords Circus
Object history
Sent to the museum in January 2020 by Giffords Circus, as members of Giffords mailing list
Association
Summary
This poster-size folding map was produced by Giffords Circus to accompany the tour of The Hooley, their circus inspired by the ancient magic of Celtic culture, intended for 2020. Images and information relating to folk and fairy tales on one side of the map related to the route and locations of their tour, with grounds on the other. 50,000 copies were printed; 30,000 were sent to mailing list subscribers in January 2020, made available for sale online, and were meant to be sold at the circus on tour, serving as advertisement, guide and souvenir for their 20th anniversary circus. Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 however and the ensuing national lockdown announced by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 23 March 2020, the circus could not take place and was postponed until 2021.

The artwork and marketing produced by Giffords is as individual and imaginatively produced as their shows, partly due to the artistic flair of their late founder Nell Gifford, and to the work of Giffords art department. The map is an example of excellently designed and produced circus marketing material, continuing in the tradition of innovative marketing material produced by the earliest circus, Astley's. The map's digitally created cover was inspired by Victorian silhouettes, with hand-drawn illustrations by Joseph Avery, and research by Hannah Olley.
Collection
Accession number
S.139-2020

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Record createdFebruary 19, 2020
Record URL
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