History

ROTE NASEN Clowndoctors Österreich (RNA) was founded in 1994 by Monica Culen (Managing Director) and Giora Seeliger (Artistic Director) as one of the first hospital clown programmes in Europe. Within a few years it developed into one of the leading organisations in this field, setting benchmarks in artistic performance and professional structures.

By bringing humour, solace and laughter into the hospital, clowndoctors boost the resistance and willpower of their patients. RNA has so far developed regular programmes of the highest quality for children, geriatric patients and rehabilitation patients, as well as outreach programmes for selective one-off visits in other social and medical institutions such as asylum centres, orphanages, mother-child homes.

For more details please go to PARTNER ORGANISATIONS/Austria

In March 2003 the non-profit foundation, RED NOSES Clowndoctors International (RNI), was founded in order to cope with these growing demands for assistance. In cooperation with regional incentives, RNI presently has four more Central European partners in Germany (2003), the Czech Republic (2003), Slovenia (2003) and Slovakia (2005). In 2009, the RN network extended further to include an initiative in New Zealand which has now become an Associate Partner of the group.

RNI's main tasks are:

The setting up and coaching of RED NOSES organisations in other countries

In cooperation with local groups, independent RED NOSES organisations are established and developed. They are then bound to RED NOSES International by partnership agreements and must adhere to high artistic and organisational guidelines which maintain common management and quality standards. Financial support of the partner organisations in the start up phase enables the rapid development of professional care programmes.

The creation of a competence centre

International knowledge management on therapeutic clown care work and common research on “humour and health” are the central topic of the centre’s work. Know-how transfer, consulting and coaching in all areas of clown care work in hospitals is made available to the partner groups.

Information programmes

The implementation of information programmes involves the application of humour as a valuable tool in the convalescence process as well as in other different situations in life.

International School of Humour (ISH)

The International School of Humour (ISH) was founded under the auspices of the RED NOSES foundation. Renowned international and local teachers are invited to hold courses, seminars and workshops on humour not only for RN clowns, but also for other artists and specialised professionals.