IJA eNewsletter October 2023

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www.juggle.org		    IJA eNewsletter
   October 2023Editors: Don Lewis & Martin Frost
(ijanews@juggle.org)

CONTENTS

  • Get ready to juggle in Green Bay – 2024 IJA Juggling Festival!
  • IJA Juggling Championships information session (Zoom)
  • 2024 IJA Festival scholarship applications open
  • Nominations open for IJA Honorary Awards
  • Flamingo Club Award nominations open
  • Sky King Award nominations open
  • Job Posting: Volunteer web designer with UX/UI skills
  • IJA Board meetings
  • Latest articles in eJuggle

 

 

Get ready to juggle in Green Bay – 2024 IJA Juggling Festival!  2024 IJA Festival flyerby Noel Yee

Excitement is in the air as we gear up for the 2024 IJA Juggling Festival!  Mark your calendars for an unforgettable week of juggling fun from July 8th to July 14th in the vibrant city of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  A few weekends back, our festival team traveled to the city of Green Bay to get a closer look at the different venues for this year’s event.

From our site visit, it is clear that the IJA 2024 event promises to be one for the books.  The event will spread across the entire city of Green Bay, but also within walking distance of the hotel and event center.  The KI Center, our main festival hub, offers spacious convention halls perfect for jugglers to hone their skills and showcase their talents.  The convention center space is vast, providing ample room for workshops, discussions, and performances.

What’s more, the Hyatt Regency Green Bay, our festival’s official hotel, ensures that all its rooms are equipped with a sofa bed, refrigerator, and microwave, offering both comfort and convenience for festival-goers.  The Hyatt Regency is ideally situated on the banks of the Fox River, providing a beautiful and scenic backdrop for your stay.  The riverside location makes it easy to enjoy leisurely walks along the river.

The team was joined by the team from Discover Green Bay and Jake Darrow, the organizer of the Green Bay Juggling Club and our new Co-Future Festival Site Coordinator.  Jake joined our team during the site visit and has been instrumental in making key connections locally for this year’s event.  Our team explored numerous venues to bring you the best juggling experience.  We spent time in the historic Meyer Theater, an old Fox theater, which will host our shows for the week.  This classic venue is sure to provide the perfect setting for our juggling community.  For the “Planting the Juggling Seed” show, we scouted a local museum and a library in our quest to find the ideal venue.  More information soon to follow!

In addition to show venues, we also scouted multiple locations for our Fire Jam.  Plus, we visited the local Pamperin Park disc golf course and the Green Bay Action Sports Organization (GBASO).  The tradition of having a few disc golf outings looks to be continued this year with this amazing site. We also hope to partner with GBASO for unicycle lessons and juggling throughout the week.

Green Bay boasts an array of local dining options, and we had the pleasure of sampling some of the local haunts.  You’ll find plenty of delicious food choices within blocks of the festival venues to satisfy every craving.  We checked out The Depot and many others as we explored the town.  All of the local restaurants were welcoming and excited about us visiting their town.

We can’t wait to welcome all of you to the 2024 IJA Juggling Festival in Green Bay!  Stay tuned for ticketing, shows, and other exciting announcements coming soon.

Afton & Noel and the festival team

 

 

IJA Juggling Championships information session (Zoom)

There will be an open information session about the IJA Juggling Championships via Zoom on Monday, November 20, at 9pm EST / 6pm PST.  We’ll provide an overview of the process, the rules, and the judging criteria and answer any questions you have.

To help make the session as useful as possible, please submit any questions you have here.

To participate, register here.

Viveca Gardiner and NeilFred Picciotto, IJA Juggling Championships co-directors

 

 

2024 IJA Festival scholarship applications open by Afton Benson, IJA Treasurer

The IJA J. Todd Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund is now accepting applications for 2023 IJA Festival Scholarships.  If you have wanted to attend an IJA Festival but have not had a chance and some support would help, apply!  Priority will be given to individuals who have not attended an IJA Festival before.  You can find the application here.  Please share info about this scholarship far and wide — it is open for jugglers around the world.  Applications close at 11:59pm PDT on March 15, 2024.  Scholarships will start being awarded (and recipients notified) well before the application deadline.  The last awardees will be informed by May at the latest.

This fund is named in honor of Todd Smith, one of the world’s top manufacturers of juggling equipment.  Todd was known for giving away props to aspiring jugglers and had the nickname of “the juggler’s friend”.  This scholarship fund will support new jugglers who have not had the chance to attend an IJA Festival.

Big thanks go to the fund’s donors for their generosity: Arthur Lewbel, Mike and Marilyn Sullivan, Unna Med, and a number of other jugglers.  Since 2022, the Scholarship Fund has provided support to 43 jugglers from around the world to attend the IJA’s Annual Festival.

Interested in supporting the J. Todd Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund?  Fantastic!  You can donate here today. Any questions can be directed to treasurer@juggle.org.

 

 

Nominations open for IJA Honorary Awards IJA Honorary Awardsby Eric Shibuya, Awards Committee Chair

The IJA Awards Committee is open for nominations for the 2024 IJA Honorary Awards.  The Awards Committee regularly selects recipients in four categories.  The Award of Excellence, Historical Achievement Award, Excellence in Education, and Extraordinary Service.  Occasionally, recipients for the Bobby May Award and Honorary Life Memberships are also chosen.

For a list of previous winners in the various categories, see https://www.juggle.org/history/honorary-awards.

Nominations are due by 11:59pm PST on December 5, 2023.  Please send all nominations to: awards@juggle.org

 

 

Flamingo Club Award nominations open  Flamingo Club Awardby Afton Benson

The IJA Flamingo Club is accepting nominations for the 2024 Flamingo Club Award.  The Flamingo Club provides the recognition, support and encouragement of female-identifying and non-binary persons, children, and families, in order to build a more inclusive juggling community.

The award is given to highlight a female-identifying or non-binary person who has shown outstanding support, inspirational skill, or exceptional promotion of juggling.

Individuals can, and are encouraged to, nominate themselves.

Nominate someone or yourself here today!  Nominations are due by 11:59pm PST on December 5, 2023.

The Flamingo Club is one of the IJA programs that are supported by donations from jugglers around the world.  Want to ensure the IJA has the means to support these and other programs?  Please donate today!  Any questions can be directed to treasurer@juggle.org

 

 

Sky King Award nominations open Sky King Awardby Paris

The Sky King Award committee is accepting nominations for the 2024 Sky King Award.  The award is given in recognition of outstanding dedication to furthering diversity and equity in the juggling community by a BIPOC member of that community.

Individuals can, and are encouraged to, nominate themselves.

Nominate someone or yourself here today!  Nominations are due by 11:59pm PST on December 5, 2023.

 

 

Job Posting: Volunteer web designer with UX/UI skills

web designer wanted

Are you a talented web designer with a passion for user experience and interface design?  We’re seeking a dedicated individual to volunteer their time and expertise in revamping a large, intricate website for the International Jugglers’ Association (IJA).  The IJA is entering our 77th year of serving our mission.  We provide support and information to jugglers around the world through our online publication and through multiple programs.  We assist in the connection and growth of the juggling community through our Annual Festival and World Juggling Day.  We hold Juggling Competitions on stages around the world, which provide feedback and opportunities for jugglers to advance their performing careers.

We’ve changed a lot over the last 77 years, and we’re seeking your creative vision and technical skills for a pivotal role in enhancing the online presence of the IJA.  Join us in creating a more user-friendly and visually appealing website that helps us better serve our mission.  If you’re ready to use your design talents for a good cause, we’d love to hear from you!

Desired Skills and Expectations

  • Web design, applied knowledge of web design principles, best practices, and design trends
  • Ability to translate conceptual ideas into practical, aesthetically pleasing web design
  • Proficiency in using web design tools and software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Figma, or similar applications
  • Understanding of HTML, CSS, and basic web development concepts
  • Willingness to collaborate with the IJA Board to understand project goals and requirements
  • Ability to identify and address design and user experience challenges on the existing website
  • Proactive problem-solving and troubleshooting capabilities
  • A self-driven and enthusiastic approach to taking on design challenges and improving the online presence of the organization

The anticipated time commitment falls within the range of approximately 150 to 200 hours, distributed over several months, with a target launch date of November 2024.

Application Process

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit a portfolio showcasing their web design and UX/UI work.  If you meet the requirements and are excited to contribute your skills for a noble cause, we’d love to hear from you!

Please note that this is a volunteer position with potential for some compensation, but the primary focus should be on making a meaningful impact through your design expertise.  Additionally, many companies may offer compensation in turn for your time volunteering; contact your benefits administrator or supervisor to find out if your company has this type of program for their employees!

Please submit your portfolio to: ija.chair@juggle.org

 

 

IJA Board meetings  by Ross Berenson, IJA Board ChairIJA Board meetings

IJA Board meetings are open to all IJA members and are hosted on Zoom.  To find out the times of this month’s vision and business meetings, or to attend, please email ija.chair@juggle.org and say which meeting you’re interested in.

 

 

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