How Elevate Circus Workshops Is Shaking Up the Industry — Without Exploiting the Artists Who Make It Magical
When you hear that a company is “shaking up the entertainment industry,” you probably picture huge flashy shows, fire-breathing press releases, and someone in a sparkly blazer yelling about revolution.
At Elevate Circus Workshops, we don’t have a sparkly blazer (yet). And we’re still a young company. But we are shaking things up — by doing something so simple, so obvious, and apparently so radical that it’s practically rebellious:
We treat our tutors, performers and artists fairly.
Yes. That’s the revolution.
A Young Company With an Old-Fashioned Idea: Fairness
When founder Carl Mann started Elevate, he didn’t launch with a multimillion-pound budget or a celebrity partnership. What he did have was years of working in the circus and entertainment industry, operating behind the scenes — and seeing how often the people who deliver the magic end up being underpaid, undervalued, and pushed aside.
“I wanted to build a company where artists aren’t an afterthought. I’ve seen far too many brilliant tutors and performers undervalued, underpaid and pushed aside by agencies chasing quick profits. Elevate was created to flip that culture on its head and prove you can run a successful entertainment business without exploiting the people who make it possible.”
— Carl Mann, Founder of Elevate Circus Workshops
Our tutors and performers aren’t a line in a budget spreadsheet. They’re frontline educators, skilled technicians, physical storytellers and all-round creative powerhouses.
Yet across the UK, far too many agencies continue to:
Withhold work from tutors who rock the boat
Withhold payments for weeks or months
Take as much as 40% from the fee for a day’s specialist work
Treat artists as disposable or interchangeable
Prioritise agency profit margins over safety, professionalism and wellbeing
It’s not just unethical — it’s embarrassing for an industry built on passion, skill and hard work.
We’re Not Having Any of That
At Elevate, we decided: no artist exploitation, full stop.
That means:
Fair, transparent pay
Our tutors know exactly what they’re earning, when they’re earning it, and why. No mysterious deductions. No “admin fees” that magically appear like a bad magic trick. We tell them exactly what we have quoted the client and we only charge £50.00 for a days booking. That’s around 10% and we do all the admin, from getting the work for the tutors in the first place, to conversing with the client getting all the details correct and the schedule for the day agreed, issuing all the invoices and job sheets, liaising with the client and tutor if any questions arise, making sure payments are made and chasing those if needed and finally asking for feedback and review. This makes sure that the artists can concentrate on what they do best - BE AWESOME!
Reasonable agency margins
We price responsibly so schools, events and clients get great value — without squeezing our performers into poverty. Our prices are not focused on how much we make, because we always make the same amount per job, it’s all about getting the best price for the artists and the client.
Respect for the craft
Our tutors aren’t hobbyists. They’re professionals who have spent years perfecting juggling technique, mastering unicycles, studying teaching methods, and occasionally balancing things on their faces for comedic effect. They have spent vast amounts of hard earned cash on equipment, costumes and props that often get damaged and go missing at gigs. That deserves recognition (and actual money).
Support, not exploitation
We’re building a network where performers feel safe, valued, and part of something bigger than another faceless booking system.
“I’ve worked for agencies where I felt like a number, 1 step wrong and the jobs stop coming. Working with Carl at Elevate feels like being part of a team again, no - more like a family.”
— Jess, Circus Skills Tutor
Clients Love It Too — Because Happy Artists Do Better Work
Here’s the secret that shouldn’t even be a secret:
When performers are treated well, they perform better - shocker right?!
They show up energised.
They teach with enthusiasm.
They stay creative.
They create unforgettable experiences.
One of our recent corporate workshop clients put it perfectly:
“The energy was unreal. You could tell Andy and Theo loved being there — and that made the whole workshop electric. They told us that working with Elevate was a breath of fresh air and enabled them to give 110%.”
— Mark, Corporate Events Manager
That’s the “Elevate effect” — ethical treatment turning into exceptional experiences.
We’re Young, But We’re Loud About What We Stand For
Sure, Elevate Circus Workshops is still fresh on the scene. But maybe that’s our superpower.
We’re not bogged down by outdated industry traditions.
We’re not cut from the ‘agency first, artist second’ mould.
We’re not interested in being another company that quietly continues the cycle of underpaying creative workers.
We’re here to raise standards.
To push for fair pay.
And to prove you can run a modern entertainment company that is both ethical and commercially successful.
What This Means for Clients Across the UK
Schools, businesses, festivals and community groups who book with Elevate get:
High-quality tutors who are paid fairly
Safer, more engaged, more motivated workshop leaders
Ethical entertainment that aligns with modern values
